Works & Services, Irrigation departments: non-utilization of uplift schemes' funds irks Bijarani

Voicing serious concern over non-utilization of funds relating to Works and Services and Irrigation departments' development schemes, Sindh Minister for Planning and Development, Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani, has exhorted the officials concerned to expedite the development schemes so that the funds allocated for such schemes in the current financial year budget might not get lapsed.
Presiding over a meeting held here to review the pace of work of various development schemes, he deplored that it was astonishing to note that despite release of billions of rupees not a single penny has been spent on as many as 44 schemes of the Irrigation department and 139 projects of Works and Service department in the current financial year.
The Secretary Works and Services, Aijaz Ahmed Memon, told the meeting that although Rs 11,678.390 million have been allocated for 1,513 ongoing schemes in the current fiscal year, only Rs 7,312.941m have, so far, been utilized, whereas a huge amount earmarked for 139 schemes still remain unutilized. About the Irrigation department's development schemes, the minister was informed despite the fact that an additional amount of Rs 14187.249m had been released for 306 ongoing schemes, Rs 794.523m earmarked for 44 schemes have not been utilized, so far.
Mr Bijarani directed the Works and Services department to ensure that all the development projects, including the Steel Mills-Quaidabad Road, Thatta-Karachi dual carriageway, Dhabeji Economic Zone way and Kandhkot Thull Road, must be completed by the end of June, 2017.
He also emphasized the need for linking small towns and villages with large cities for gearing up economic activities in the region. He also advised the officials of Irrigation department to carry out a study and prepare a feasibility report for a link canal or drainage system which may protect agriculture and inhabitants of the three districts of Kandhkot, Shikarpur and Larkana during floods and heavy rains.