KP’s approved, executed schemes: Discrepancy in data irks Senate panel on Safron

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on States and Frontier Regions (Safron) expressed displeasure regarding the discrepancy in data presented by the Accountant General Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and figures submitted by the Department of Finance, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

The committee met with Senator Hilalur Rehman in the chair at the Parliament House on Tuesday.

The committee discussed details of approved and executed schemes via Accelerated Implementation Program (AIP) and Annual Development Program (ADP) in merged districts of tribal areas in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

The chairman committee, while reviewing the submitted details, pointed towards financial bungling.

The secretary Safron recommended that the two departments must run a joint review of the numbers after which details could be resubmitted to the committee for review. It was revealed that details of eight districts had been reviewed and submitted to the committee; results of which varied extensively showing a discrepancy of Rs23 billion in 2018-19 and Rs8 billion in 2020.

Chairman Committee Senator Hilalur Rehman was of the view that, as feared earlier, merged areas of the Fata remained a non-priority for both the federal government and the Government of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

He directed that completely reviewed, with proper break-up of released and utilised funds be submitted to the committee in the next meeting.

While discussing financial progress of projects in the committee, it was revealed that the Insaf Rozgar Scheme had let out Rs10 billion to local banks on a four percent mark-up; which were now responsible of criteria setting of beneficiaries and disbursement of funds.

Reviewing the final report by the secretary Safron on point of public importance raised by Senator HidayatUllah regarding arising problems in merged Fata districts; the committee was informed of the issues and challenges faced by the government that included timely release of funds for government planned projects.

While being briefed by director general Soil Conservation, the committee was informed of the two projects in merged districts conducted by the AIP and the ADP related to rain water harvesting and ground water recharge respectively.

The committee expressed dissatisfaction over the briefing and data presented and directed that the matter be taken up at a later date after reassessment of data.

The committee took strict notice of the Fata-related vacancies being filled by non-Fata human resource.

The committee was attended by senators, Anwar Lal Dean, Bahramand Khan, Danesh Kumar, Dost Muhammad, Gurdeep Singh, HidyatUllah, Shamim Afridi, and senior officers of the Ministry States and Frontier Regions, Department of Finance Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and the Accountant General Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021