The defence services secured the biggest supplementary grant of more than Rs36 billion during the outgoing fiscal year before seeking about 4.7 per cent higher allocations for next fiscal year, DAWN reported.
The Ministry of Finance has told the Parliament that the government exceeded by Rs222 billion its sanctioned expenditure limit without parliamentary approval.
Therefore, it sought Rs106 billion regular supplementary grant from the Parliament as fait accompli. The remaining Rs116 billion pertained to surrender from one grant to another or foreign grants and would be treated as technical supplementary grants.
Of these regular supplementary grants, the largest supplementary grant of Rs36 billion was given to the defence services which spent these funds without prior approval of the Parliament – Rs20 billion was spent on fencing and lighting of Pak-Afghan border, Rs5 billion as special duty allowance on Pakistan Army and Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and Rs5.89 billion recurring cost of army’s Special Security Division.
As such, the documents showed that the defence services had been allocated about Rs1.100 trillion in the current year’s budget which was later increased to Rs1.138 trillion. The government has allocated Rs1.152 trillion to the defence services for next year, showing an increase of about 4.8 per cent over the original allocation for current year.
This is in addition to Rs370.5 billion allocation for separate development expenditure of the defence division for next fiscal year compared to Rs153.5 billion spent under this account during current fiscal year, showing an increase of 160 per cent or Rs217 billion.
When put together, the total allocations for the defence services will amount to Rs1.522 trillion next year, compared to Rs1.253 trillion during current year, showing an increase of about 21.5 per cent.
The Ministry of Finance has told the Parliament that the government exceeded by Rs222 billion its sanctioned expenditure limit without parliamentary approval.
Therefore, it sought Rs106 billion regular supplementary grant from the Parliament as fait accompli. The remaining Rs116 billion pertained to surrender from one grant to another or foreign grants and would be treated as technical supplementary grants.
Of these regular supplementary grants, the largest supplementary grant of Rs36 billion was given to the defence services which spent these funds without prior approval of the Parliament – Rs20 billion was spent on fencing and lighting of Pak-Afghan border, Rs5 billion as special duty allowance on Pakistan Army and Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and Rs5.89 billion recurring cost of army’s Special Security Division.
As such, the documents showed that the defence services had been allocated about Rs1.100 trillion in the current year’s budget which was later increased to Rs1.138 trillion. The government has allocated Rs1.152 trillion to the defence services for next year, showing an increase of about 4.8 per cent over the original allocation for current year.
This is in addition to Rs370.5 billion allocation for separate development expenditure of the defence division for next fiscal year compared to Rs153.5 billion spent under this account during current fiscal year, showing an increase of 160 per cent or Rs217 billion.
When put together, the total allocations for the defence services will amount to Rs1.522 trillion next year, compared to Rs1.253 trillion during current year, showing an increase of about 21.5 per cent.