Provincial Finance Minister Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht chaired a meeting of the annual development programme 2021-22 at the P&D Board on Wednesday to review the progress. The meeting was attended by chief secretary Jawad Rafique, chairman P&D Abdullah Sumbal, secretary finance Iftikhar Sahu and administrative secretaries. The meeting took stock of the issues relating to the utilization of budget and completion of ongoing schemes. Chairman P&D briefed the participants that Rs. 337 billion were earmarked for development expenditures in the current financial year and the amount has increased to Rs. 346 billion after payment of pending dues by the federal government. 65 per cent of the current ADP has been utilized, he added. Giving the details, he added that Rs. 200 billion was allocated for ongoing schemes and out of this amount, Rs. 83 billion of the released Rs. 129 billion has been utilized. Similarly, Rs. 71 billion was earmarked for new schemes in the current budget. The government has utilized 68 per cent of the released amount worth Rs. 39 billion, he added. The 67 per cent of the released budget of various development programmes has also been utilized, he further said. Abdullah Sumbal continued that the literacy and non-formal education department has utilized 87 per cent budget, the urban development department used 86 per cent while the planning and development department spent an 83 per cent budget. Similarly, the labour and human resource used a 79 per cent budget, the sports and youth affairs department spent 79 per cent budget, the energy department used 74 per cent and specialized healthcare spent a 73 per cent budget in the current fiscal year. All other departments have used more than 56 per cent of their budget, he added. On the other side, chairman P&D maintained that laws relating to the requisition of land are causing the delay in public-private partnership based projects. The finance minister directed the line departments to ensure maximum progress and utilization of budget adding that laws will be amended, if required, to remove impediments in PPP-mode projects and the government will also extend necessary support to the partners.