Cut in Sindh ADP 2011-12 on the cards

In order to compensate the people who suffered irreparable losses due to heavy rains, Sindh government has been working to make a cut on the funds of Annual Development Program (ADP) 2011-12. Well-placed sources of Planning and Development (P&D) department told Business Recorder on Monday that Sindh chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has chaired a few meetings in this regard with the officials of P&D, Finance and Rehabilitation departments.
The matter of availability of funds has been discussed in detail while, to make a cut on ADP 2011-12 also came under serious consideration, sources said. During the meetings, P&D officials have been directed to prioritise the schemes as most important, important and less important, sources said.
P&D officials have started work in this regard and report would be submitted to Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah within next couple of days, sources added. Sources claimed that said report would also be forwarded to President Asif Ali Zardari and he would make final decision that how much cut would be made on provincial ADP, sources said.
It is pertinent to mention here that Sindh government had made cut on last year's ADP due to devastating floods, which was curtailed at Rs 77 billion from Rs 115 billion. Recent heavy rains have also badly affected almost 21 out of 23 districts of Sindh, more than 8 million people have been displaced and affected and more than 350 people died in rain-related accidents.
Observers are of the view that recent rains have done irreparable losses to the masses so it could be said that this devastation is more difficult to be compensated by provincial government in comparison of last year's floods. In this connection, an official of P&D has told Business Recorder that Sindh Assembly had approved Rs 111 billion ADP 2011-12 in the month of June 2011.
While, Rs 20 billion are of the foreign funded projects of emergency rehabilitation and Rs 20 billion are for the District Development Programme (DDP) out of total figure of Rs 151 billion of ADP 2011-12. He said if cut would be made on ADP 2011-12 so not only new funds would be utilised on relief and rehabilitation activities but also the amount would be reimbursed which is being used from the day one of rains by the Sindh government.