CM concerned over lapsed development funds

Karachi

Most of the government departments have been unable to spend the allocated development funds effectively, remarked Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah on Monday while presiding over a meeting of secretaries and heads of administrative departments at the Sindh Secretariat.

The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Muhammad Siddique Memon, Sindh IGP AD Khwaja, Additional Chief Secretary (development) Mohammad Waseem, and secretaries of all government departments and commissioners concerned.

Giving a presentation on the overall expenditure of funds, additional chief secretary Mohammad Waseem said the total development portfolio of the provincial government stood at Rs213.65 billion, including Rs124 billion provincial annual development programs (ADP), Rs20 billion district ADPs, a viability gap fund of Rs15 billion, foreign-funded projects worth Rs26.98 billion and federal PSDP Rs9.66 billion.

Giving details of the provincial ADP, Waseem said 1,762 ongoing schemes had an allocation of Rs106.18 billion and 590 new schemes had been taken up for Rs35.81 billion. The finance department had released Rs78.10 billion against the total allocation of Rs142 billion, out of which the government departments had used Rs78.10 billion.

The figures showed that 56 percent of the released funds had been utilised by the end of February 2016.  

Giving break ups of every department, Waseem said the social welfare department had utilised only Rs4.32 million against the release of Rs51.997 million, only eight percent of the allocated funds.

The transport department had used 31 percent of the funds available, with expenditure of Rs184.25 million against the release of Rs595.12 million. The population welfare department used 24 percent funds with utilisation of Rs6 million against released sum of Rs25.25 million.

Meanwhile, the mines and minerals department used RsRs1.23 million against the released sum of Rs27.37 million, about five percent, while the labour department used 14 and livestock and fisheries department used 15 percent of the available funds.

The chief minister expressed his displeasure and issued directives to hold a meeting for reviewing development works. "The officers who fail to utilize their development funds by the end of financial year must be held accountable," he said. “Only two months are left to present the next year’s budget.”

He continued, saying that the anti-corruption department had been rejuvenated

Replying to a question of the chief minister, Waseem said buildings of six anti-terrorism courts constructed in the compound of Central Prison Karachi will be completed shortly.

On this the chief minister directed him to construct 14 more anti-terrorism court buildings in the same premises for security reasons.

"I have already announced establishment of 10 more anti-terrorism courts, therefore a sizable amount must be allocated in the next budget so that these schemes can be completed," directed the chief minister. “He directed the chief secretary to start collecting data of the vacant positions from all departments and their subordinate organizations.”