–Shah says deletion of development schemes would increase sense of deprivation in Sindh
KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that the federal government has deleted 36 important schemes of Sindh from its next development programme, PSDP -2019-120 though most of them were foreign aided projects.
“This is an injustice with the people of Sindh and this would further develop sense deprivation and isolation among the people of the province.”
This he said while presiding over a preparatory meeting of National Economic Council (NEC) here at the CM House. The NEC meeting is scheduled to be held in Islamabad on Wednesday. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and Sindh’s representative Nisar Ahmed Khuhro will attend the meeting.
The chief minister said that the estimated cost of the entire PSDP portfolio, both the existing and new, was Rs8 trillion in which Sindh based schemes cost came to Rs540 billion. “It means Sindh has been given only seven per cent share in the PSDP,” he said and termed it an injustice with the people of this province.
Shah also said that the federal government has about 36 schemes having a cost of over Rs.51 billion, including Foreign Aid component pertaining to Sindh in Water, Roads and other sectors were arbitrarily deleted from the PSDP 2018-19 after its Revision in Sept 2018.
The schemes deleted from the PSDP 2018-19 include Rehabilitation and Modernization of Sukkur Barrage. It is a World Bank funded project in which 80 per cent funds would be financed by World Bank and Sindh government would 10 per cent and the federal government has borne only 10 shares in 2019-20.
The other deleted schemes are Construction of new bridges with approach roads over River Indus between Sukkur – Rohri. This was announced by then prime minister Nawaz Sharif during his visit to Sukkur. Construction of a 88 km Mirpurkhas – Umerkot Section; Construction of Southern Bypass Hyderabad (ADB); Rehabilitation of existing 200 km Carriageway from Sehwan-Ratodero; Lining of K.B. Feeder Upper Canal for Water Supply to Karachi City- its cost would be share by federal and provincial governments on the basis of 50 into 50. Construction of Feeder Canal to Manchar Lake to Eradicate Contamination and it is also on 50:50 sharing basis.
The chief minister said that the Jamshoro to Sehwan Section Road is a classic case of mismanagement. It has three roads. “The Sindh government has provided Rs.7 billion to get this important road completed, but unfortunately, there is no progress on it,” he said and added he would request the federal government to instruct the NHA to complete it or return Sindh government’s Rs7bn so that the provincial government could complete it from it on its own.
Murad Ali Shah also said that the federal government has drastically reduced the overall allocation of schemes reflected in the Finance Division portfolio, which were being executed by the provincial governments.
He said that the Sindh government’s portfolio has been curtailed and many schemes which were on-going and yet to be completed have been deleted. “There are now only five on-going schemes with an estimated cost of Rs. 23.9 billion against which only Rs.1.77 billion have been allocated for the next financial year, 2019-20,” he lamented.
Shah pointed out that the overall Finance Division’s allocation for PSDP 2019-20 was Rs36.61 billion. The KPK/FTA has been given 75 per cent funds, Balochistan 15 per cent, Sindh only 4.85 per cent and four per cent Punjab.
Mr Shah said that some Schemes being executed by Sindh government have been deleted from PSDP 2019-20 are as follows:
S-III: S-III Project was revised by ECNEC from Rs7.982 billion to Rs36.117 on Feb 7, 2018. The cost of the project was originally shared by the Sindh government and federal government on 50:50 basis but the Federal Government did not agree to share 50 per cent of the revised cost. The total expenditure against the federal share until June 2018 is Rs. 3.129 billion. The Federal government allocated the balance share of the original cost in PSDP 2018-19 which is Rs. 862.00 million and released only Rs. 344 million. An amount of Rs. 517 million is also pending against the original federal government’s committed share. This has been deleted from PSDP.
Construction Roads in Hyderabad Distt: The project was cleared by CDWP on March 18, 2010. The Scheme has been completed through Bridge Financing by Sindh government in 2011-12. An amount of Rs175.864 million is pending towards federal government. The Scheme has been deleted from PSDP 2019-20
Water Supply Scheme SBA: An amount of Rs. 299.71 is pending against the federal government’s share.
Lining of Minors: This was for lining of 109 selected channels of 860 miles at an approved cost of Rs.13.828 billion. Rs. 8.069 billion expenditure stands incurred till June 2018. There is throw-forward of Rs. 5.032 billion and scheme has been deleted from PSDP 2019-20.
Rehabilitation of Irrigation: Rehabilitation of Irrigation & Drainage System of Sindh was approved at Rs. 16.795 billion. An amount of Rs. 13.386 billion has been incurred till April 30, 2019 leaving a throw-forward of Rs. 3.409 billion. This scheme stands deleted from PSDP.
The chief minister said that approximately over Rs. 8 billion liability has been left out against committed projects with implications on these schemes. Therefore, the federal government should release the amount to the provincial government.
