Experts at a post-budget seminar criticised Sindh Budget 2014-15 as jugglery of figures. They urged the provincial government should to release provincial economic survey before the completion of every financial year as federal government is doing since long time. The seminar titled as "Development or Delusion for Sindh" was organised by Sindh Economic Forum (SEF), a think tank working on economy of the province.
The declaration of the seminar states: "The dilemma that people of Sindh are facing for several years is that the public money allocated in various budgets is for development or merely a delusion? This is the question in the mind of people.
SEF believes that this dilemma in the mind of people could be resolved if they look at the whole issue in the following manner; several budgets in the past, including current budget one, have created development for some and delusion for others. The development, mainly as media reports over several years indicate, has been only for the people in the authority who have used government power and resources mainly for self-serving benefits. The vast majority of people of Sindh has been living in delusion, waiting year after year, generation after generation for their fortunes to improve-their endemic poverty to end, the malnutrition of their children to end, education and employment opportunity to open at least for their children and that they lead a life where basic needs are met, their human rights are respected and they are treated as respectable sovereigns because in a democracy non but the people are sovereign.
According to budget documents under revised development budget (down from estimated Rs 185 billion) Rs 115 were released of which Rs 85.9 billion were spent, thus in one month government was to spent Rs 29.1 billion. Whereas in its annual circular, AG Sindh puts ban on submission of bills after 10th of June 2014, that means practically 10 days were left to utilise Rs 29.1 billion. We demand that to prevent this AG Sindh shall put appropriate checks on their accounting system.
We the members of SEF are of the view that despite increased financial flows after 18th amendment, Sindh continues to pay heavy amount in debt and interest repayment. Rs 24 billion debt servicing in new fiscal year 2014-15 is huge and unacceptable. We call upon government that it must cut down its non-development expenditure and pay off debt as priority, this huge money could have been allocated for millions of people in province who do not own house, there are women and children on roads, living in pathetic conditions.
Allocation of Rs 20 million for fancy vehicle for Speaker of Sindh Assembly is not justified, in a society where social backwardness, hunger and poverty is killing people, elected representative should not be allowed to enjoy such lavished life style.
Development planning in Sindh must address the issue of homelessness, landless peasants, never ending crimes, murders of women, in particular in rural areas, on average at least one thousand women are killed alone in Sindh province but when comes to protection, freedom and socio-economic and cultural space for women one sees great dearth. We demand expanded services at women prisons, shelter homes and ten time increase in budgets of shelter homes.
We are of the opinion that PPP government compromised Sindh's interest in NFC Award, signed in 2009, implemented in 2010 under Octroi and Zila Tax (OZT) , before new NFC Sindh was getting Rs 35 billion as compensation of abolition of OZT but after NFC it was reduced to Rs 10 billion only, that is one reason that municipal services in province have gone down.
The event was presided over by Syed Muhibullah Shah, former federal secretary, Dr Kaiser Bengali, Economic Adviser to Balochistan Government, Professor Mushtaq Mirani, Abrar Qazi, Mahmood Nawaz Shah, representative of Sindh Growers Board and Mohsin Babbar.
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