The federal government is set to slash funds for discretionary development schemes of members of parliament, citing recommendations from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The proposed changes aim to align with IMF conditions in the budget for the upcoming financial year 2024-25. The inner sources revealed that due to the impending election year, approximately 61 billion rupees were allocated for parliamentarians' schemes in the current financial year. However, in a departure from previous practices, these funds are now subject to termination.

Furthermore, in line with recommendations from both the IMF and World Bank, funding for provincial projects is also slated to be halted. Notably, there are proposals to reduce the health development budget from 26 billion rupees to 17 billion rupees and allocate 32 billion rupees less for the education sector, compared to the previous year's budget of 83 billion rupees. Additionally, there's a proposed reduction of 173 billion rupees in the development budget for roads, highways, and motorways from 245 billion rupees. These proposed adjustments signify a major overhaul in federal development priorities, sparking discussions about their potential impact on various sectors.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan