The performance of Sindh government can be gauged by the fact that it has failed to utilise Rs 53 billion on around 1,288 development schemes during the last six months. However, the provincial government succeeded in utilising only Rs 23 billion – 47 percent of the released funds.
There are at least 1,288 ongoing and 1,323 new schemes included in the annual development programme (ADP) for 2012-13.
The allocation made for the ADP stood at Rs 161 billion, out of which Rs 112.631 billion were spent for ongoing schemes and Rs 48.368 billion for the new ones. Besides, Rs20 billion were earmarked for districts governments and foreign-funded development projects, sources told Pakistan Today.
Under the planning, it was expected that at least 450 to 500 schemes were to be completed by February 2013. However due to pathetic attitude of the provincial authorities, it is feared these schemes would remain abandoned, the sources added.
The finance department had released quarterly installment of Rs 25 billion, however, these funds remained unutilised.
In a progress reported submitted by all the departments to the finance department, it was disclosed that at least Rs 53 billion were released to the department in quarterly installments so far, however, all the 36 departments could only utilise 47 percent of the funds that reflected what the sources claimed poor performance of the Sindh’s authorities.
The Sindh bureaucracy ignored the development schemes launched by the elected government notwithstanding the chief minister had clearly instructed to complete all the ongoing schemes by February. However, the officials seemed reluctant to comply with the chief minister’s orders that would put an extra burden on the provincial exchequer.
The major department who failed to utilise the development funds included education, health, home, culture, tourism, agriculture, home, irrigation, power, human rights, inter-provincial planning and development, finance, relief, industries and commerce, information technology, fishries, wildlife, prison and forest departments.
A senior official of the planning and development department, requesting anonymity, told Pakistan Today the government was trying to utilise the funds on schemes not beneficial for the common people.
