Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has constituted district development committees so that the relevant elected people of the areas could coordinate with the executing agencies of the schemes for their timely completion along with ensuring quality of the work.
He took this decision on Wednesday while reviewing the progress of 347 ongoing development schemes in three districts — Sukkur, Khairpur and Ghotki — worth Rs17.18 billion at the CM House on Wednesday.
The chief executive said that during the review of the ongoing development schemes, he had found that there was a lack of ownership of the development works, so the pace of work was very slow.
“Therefore, I have decided to constitute district development committees comprising elected representatives for developing close coordination with the executing agencies and departments concerned so that the ongoing schemes can be completed in time,” he said. The chief secretary will notify the committees in the next few days, he added.
Sukkur
In Sukkur district 120 schemes have been launched at a cost of Rs7.06 billion, against which the government has released Rs4.26 billion, while the expenditures are Rs2.76 billion, which are two per cent higher than the releases.
It was pointed out that out of 120 schemes, 38 ongoing district specific schemes would be completed by the end of the financial year, while 25 other schemes would be completed by the end of the first quarter of the next financial year.
The important schemes of Sukkur include establishment of Horticulture Research Institute for Rs119.2 million, expansion of 169 high priority schools for Rs1.32 billion, restoration of Boys Degree College Sukkur for Rs50 million, establishment of Women University Sukkur for Rs2.7 billion, establishment of Robotics, Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain at IBA Sukkur for Rs141.13 million, conservation of marine and fresh water turtle and allied species for Rs60 million, construction of Ghulam M Maher Medical College for Rs4.7 billion, establishment of combined effluent treatment plant of 2mgd at SITE for Rs325 million, completion of Cattle Colony Sukkur for Rs200 million, improvement of drainage system of Sukkur for Rs552.66 million, rehabilitation of Sadh Belo Sukkur for Rs136.9 million, drainage scheme of Pano Aqil for Rs276.53 million, construction of Sports Complex Sukkur for Rs1.75 billion, lying of synthetic football turf at Ghaghti Ground Rohri for Rs87.18 million and various others schemes of roads, water supply and rehabilitation of old temples.
Khairpur
In Khairpur district 159 schemes are in progress at a cost of Rs7.38 billion, against which the provincial government has released Rs4.6 billion and the utilisation of the released funds is Rs3 billion, which is 66 per cent of the releases.
The meeting was told that 29 schemes with an allocation of Rs2.3 billion would be completed during the current financial year, while 62 of the district specific schemes of Rs3.67 billion would be completed by the first quarter of the next financial year.
The CM expressed displeasure over the pace of 32 schemes against which all the allocated funds have been released in one go, but even then hardly 45 per cent expenditures have been made so far.
These 32 schemes have an allocation of Rs4.36 billion and 91 per cent of the funds or Rs3.98 billion has been released, while the utilisation is 179.983 million.
Some of the important schemes of District Khairpur are establishment of Date Palm Research Institute Khairpur for Rs81.7 million, reconstruction of Dargah Sachal Sarmast Daraza Sharif for Rs16 billion, restoration of conservation of Kotdiji Fort for Rs147 million, rehabilitation of 164 high priority schools for Rs942.7 million, upgrade of Vocational Centre at Kamal Jamro of Taluka Gambat for Rs30 million, establishment of Mehran University College of Engineering Khairpur for Rs1.14 billion, establishment of Khairpur College of Agriculture and Management Sciences in Khairpur for Rs1.3 billion, establishment of Fabrication Lab at IBA institute Khairpur for Rs78.7 million, upgrade of Govt College of Technology Khairpur to Benazir Bhutto Shaheed University of Technology & Skill Development Khairpur for Rs892 million, establishment of 10-bed hospital at Atta Mohammad Shahani Village Taluka Kotdiji for Rs54.51 million, establishment of Khairpur Eye Hospital for Rs107 million, completion of Khairpur Special Economic Zone for Rs2.1 billion and various other schemes of roads, electrification, water supply, sanitation and solarisation.
Ghotki
In District Ghotki 68 schemes of Rs2.85 billion are in progress, against which the finance department has released Rs1.52 billion and the utilisation is Rs890.9 million, which is 59 per cent of the total releases.
The meeting was told that 16 schemes with an allocation of Rs852.99 million would be completed by the end of the current financial year. The CM expressed displeasure on the slow pace of work on 10 schemes, against which 75 per cent of the funds have been released but the utilisation is 46 per cent.
There are 15 other schemes of Rs1.02 billion, against which 70 per cent of the allocated funds have been released in two instalments but even then the progress of the schemes is 48 per cent.
Some of the important schemes going on in Ghotki district with their allocation are rehabilitation of 163 high priority schools for Rs1 billion, establishment of Small Industrial Estate over an area of 50 acres at Ghotki for Rs29.65 million, construction of surface drain and three pumping stations in Ubauro for Rs159.49 million, construction of retaining wall along Ghotki Feeder for Rs298 million, lining of Shalhani Forest Minor for Rs140.8 million, construction of four two-court buildings at Ghotki for Rs48.39 million, construction of road from Adilpur to Miran Daro for Rs99.39 million, water supply scheme of Reharki Sharif for Rs10 million and various other schemes of approaching roads, water supply, sanitation and bus stops.
The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, provincial ministers Nisar Khuhro, Saeed Ghani, Shabir Bijarani, Nasir Shah, Sohail Anwar Siyal and Awais Qadir Shah, P&D Chairman M Waseem, the relevant secretaries and elected representatives, including senators, MNAs, MPAs and mayors.