Funding woes: Sindh prepares for a fight at CCI moot

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The Sindh government has decided to fight for its case of getting funds allotted for the multi-billion ongoing development projects of the devolved ministries at the upcoming meeting of the Council of Common Interest (CCI), Pakistan Today has learnt.
A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting between Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah and senior officials of the Finance Department, with many worried that if the Centre does not provide funds, Sindh’s alreadery precarious financial position will be squeezed and strained some more. Although Sindh is going to allocate at least Rs 3,867.898 million for a number of ongoing schemes in various districts of the province in its budget, the Federal government will also be approached to continue funding these schemes till their completion, sources said.
While Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh had claimed in the National Assembly during his budget speech that no funds will be allocated for the 17 ministries devolved to the provinces, sources explained that the factual position is that only five ministries have thus far been transferred to the provinces. A clash took place among provinces – particularly Sindh and Punjab – over the devolution of ministries that are to be transferred in the second phase, sources claimed, adding that the matter of the High Education Commission (HEC) will be part of this phase.
It is worth remembering that in a meeting held on January 29, 2011, Sindh’s financial managers had sought the Centre’s help to ensure at least five years’ budget for the ministries devolved under the 18th Constitutional Amendment so that the affairs of the departments could be run without any hindrances. At that time, the federal government had refused to provide funds for the devolved ministries, but later on, at a meeting of the Council of Common Interest (CCI) that was summoned and chaired by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and attended by all four chief ministers of the provinces, it was decided that funds would be provided till the development schemes of the devolved ministries are completed.
But despite the PM’s assurances, his promises have now been reneged on.