The Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) has proposed the non-development budget of Rs 12 billion through Interior Ministry to Ministry of Finance for the fiscal year 2017-18. Though, MCI has failed to finalise proposals of development budget as only 50 per cent union councils have submitted their proposals.
The MCI despite the passage of 17 months has so far not received a single penny for the development projects from the federal government. Till date, the salaries of the staff of MCI have been paying by getting the loan from Capital Development Authority (CDA).
Last year, the MCI could not seek proposals for the development projects from the respective union councils mainly due to delay in the notification of the formation of MCI.
“We have proposed the non-development budget to Ministry of Finance, hence we have also seek the lump sum budget for the development budget through Ministry of Interior so we can utilize the development budget where needed. So far we have not received the proposals from all union councils despite several reminders to them,” said Mayor cum CDA Chairman Sheikh Anser Aziz.
He said last month all the UC chairmen had been directed to submit their proposals within two weeks but to no avail. It may be mentioned here that the federal government is in the process of finalising the national budget and the MCI, showing sluggishness, is least bothered to complete the process of submitting proposals for their inclusion in the budget.
The finance wing last month had warned MCI that in continuation of various requests made from to time for the submission of proposals, nothing has been received from the formations of the MCI. As the national budget would be finalised shortly, it is feared that any further delay in the submission of the proposals may lead to non-incorporation of the MCI proposals in the federal budget.
Therefore, it added, the finance wing was left with no option but to propose last year`s budget with a 15pc increase. `The proposed draft budget for the financial year 2017-18 relating to non-development expenditure of Rs 11,992.502 million is being sent to the MCI for scrutiny, personal efforts and intervention to take up the matter with your controlling ministry for the budget 2017-18, added the letter addressed to Chief Metropolitan Officer (CMO) Asad Mehboob Kayani. The letter was written by Deputy Finance Adviser Shahbazul Hassan of the CDA.
When contacted, CMO Kayani said the MCI has submitted its non-development budget proposals amounted Rs 12 billion through the Interior Ministry.
While talking to the Opposition Leader of MCI Ali Awas said that what to talk of development budget for the upcoming financial year, so far the MCI has failed to get funds for paying salaries to its employees. The CDA was providing loans to the MCI to run its affairs, he added.
