Development work in Sindh halts as only Rs.24.94bn released out of Rs.111bn

KARACHI:  The work on development projects in Sindh under annual development program (ADP) 2011-12 has either been halted or is being done at a snail’s pace. The two main reasons are release of very small amounts of the allocated funds and non-utilization of funds released so far since July this year.

The development outlay for the fiscal year 2011-12 was Rs.161.1 billion that included Rs.111.00 billion for provincial government projects, Rs.20 billion for district government schemes and Rs.30.1 billion of foreign funded projects and other grants.

A total of 1737 development schemes were approved and included in ADP out of which 1244 were ongoing and 493 were new schemes.

The grim situation with regard to the development sector was reviewed by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah last evening wherein Additional Chief Secretary, Planning and Development, Malik Israr Ahmed informed that funds were stopped for the schemes where less than 25 percent funds were utilized.

However, the data presented by the Additional Chief Secretary, Planning and Development showed that very small amounts were released against the actual allocations made for the development schemes.

According to him Rs.24.94 billion were released so far out of Rs.111 billion allocated for provincial government projects and surprisingly Rs.6.2 billion have been utilized so far.

In the education sector, Rs.77.330 billion were earmarked but Rs.8.778 billion only were released of which Rs.94 million were spent so far.

As far as the health sector is concerned, Rs.1.008 billion were released against allocation of Rs.6.930 billion while the amount spent so far is Rs.0.441 billion.

Malik Israr further informed the meeting that Rs.11.00 billion were earmarked for transport and communication sector while Rs.5.175 billion were released but the expenditures shown by the department so far are Rs.1.392 billion.

With regard to priority program, as against Rs.7.720 billion, Rs.3.404 billion had been released, and so far Rs.0.533 billion have been spent.

The situation with regard to special packages was also grim, as against the allocation of Rs.10.00 billion, hardly Rs.1.079 billion were released and not a single penny spent so far.

A similar situation exists in special initiatives unit where against the allocation of Rs.19.300 billion, the amount released so far was Rs.1.493 billion with no expenditure yet.

The Additional Chief Secretary, Planning and Development added that Rs.3.364 billion were released against Rs.14.144 billion allocation for special projects but hardly Rs.0.556 billion had been spent so far.

Copyright PPI (Pakistan Press International), 2011