Provinces send Rs57.46bn to centre in first quarter
Punjab contributed Rs32.54bn of the July-September transfers under Article 164, part of a Rs1.035 trillion commitment for the fiscal year.
The four provincial governments transferred Rs57.46 billion to the federal government in the first three months of the current fiscal year, the first time in Pakistan's history that money has moved in this direction, ARY News reported on Sunday, citing official documents.
Samaa reported that Punjab sent Rs32.54 billion in the July-September quarter, the largest contribution of the four provinces. Under the budget agreement, the provinces are to give the federation Rs1.035 trillion over the year. ARY News put the full-year shares at Rs555.7 billion for Punjab, Rs263.7 billion for Sindh, Rs157 billion for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Rs58.6 billion for Balochistan.
The transfers are made under Article 164 of the Constitution, which allows the federal and provincial governments to give each other grants for any purpose, including projects of national importance.
The two reports differ on how the money is treated against the National Finance Commission Award. ARY News, citing sources, said the grants are voluntary and separate from the NFC Award. Samaa reported that the amounts will be deducted from the provinces' shares under the Award.
ARY News said the grants are calculated from revenue the Federal Board of Revenue collects above the previous year's total, and are booked in the federal budget as non-tax revenue.
Samaa said the money is meant to fund the Diamer-Bhasha Dam, the Dasu hydropower project and the K-IV water supply scheme for Karachi. It reported that part of the money could go to defence requirements if regional tensions rise, and that the federal government also intends to use the transfers within its programme with the International Monetary Fund. The arrangement, settled before this year's budget was announced, is expected to stay in force for three years, according to Samaa.
Both outlets cited official documents for the Rs57.46 billion figure. Neither named an official who confirmed the transfers.
How the reports differ
ARY News said the Article 164 grants are voluntary and separate from the National Finance Commission Award, while Samaa reported the transfers will be deducted from the provinces' shares under the Award. Samaa alone gave Punjab's first-quarter figure of Rs32.54 billion and named the Diamer-Bhasha, Dasu and K-IV projects the money is meant to fund, along with possible defence use and the IMF programme. ARY News alone set out the full-year provincial shares and tied the grants to FBR revenue collected above last year's total, booked as non-tax revenue.
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