Despite giving assurances regarding smooth release of funds for Karachi’s development projects, the federal government is apparently reluctant to releasing the earmarked funds of around Rs 411 million, it has been learnt. Moreover, citing financial crisis as the major reason, the Sindh government has also not released funds of around Rs 1.667 billion allocated under the ‘Special Package for Karachi’.
The Centre had allocated Rs 411 million in the Public Sector Development Programme in the current fiscal year.
However, the fiscal year is about to end within days, but the city’s development schemes have yet to be approved by the Central Development Working Party and the Economic Coordination Nation Executive Committee. Due to delays in approval of schemes and deferred release of funds by the provincial government, it is likely that if the schemes are approved, the funds to be released would not be fully utilised and lapse as the last quarter of the current financial year is almost over.
The City District Government Karachi in 2009-10 had submitted against the said allocation the Project Cost-1 for rehabilitating the Jam Sadiq Ali Bridge; improving the University Road; revamping the Gujjar storm-water drain, the Malir 15 flyover, and the Malir Halt flyover; and constructing 30 pedestrian bridges and the old drainage system. Regarding Sindh’s Annual Development Programme 2010-11, total allocation of Rs 2 billion has been kept under the Block Allocation (Special Package for Karachi), of which only Rs 323.461 million has so far been released by the provincial government.
Furthermore, new schemes proposed against the said allocation are yet to be approved by the Sindh government and are stuck at different approval stages.
