Sindh’s SOS to Centre

Federal government requested to release withheld funds.

ISLAMABAD: Emergency help has been sought by Sindh from the federal government to avert a severe financial crisis in the province and provide timely financial assistance to flood victims under the Watan card scheme.

The provincial government has dispatched a letter to the federal government requesting the immediate release of withheld dues worth Rs11.83 billion from the previous and current fiscal years.

The letter, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune, reminds the federal government that the province, like other parts of the country, was badly affected by the recent devastating floods and the provincial government has diverted all its resources towards rehabilitation of the flood victims and reconstruction of affected areas.

The letter emphasises Sindh’s need for finances for Watan card and other schemes introduced for the flood victims and requests that the withheld resources be released immediately so that the government could fulfil the people’s needs.

The letter states that the federal government is required to pay Rs9.4 billion to the provincial government for the year 2009-10 in respect of gas surcharge and royalty on natural gas and crude oil. It also says that the provincial government is to receive a total of Rs2.42 billion on other accounts for the first four months of the current fiscal year.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 11^th, 2011.