Budget analysis: Decentralisation yet to benefit governance

Rashida Dohad says districts have not obtained fair shares on basis of need


Our Correspondent June 22, 2016
Executive Director of Omar Asghar Khan Foundation addressing a press conference at PPC. PHOTO: INP

PESHAWAR: The analysis of the provincial budget for fiscal year 2016-17 shows promised decentralisation has yet to benefit governance on the grass-roots level even though the local government act has been passed and elections were held in 2015.

The government has allocated Rs33.9 billion for the districts from the Annual Development Programme funds – around 21% of the total development budget. This was said by Omar Asghar Khan Foundation Executive Director Rashida Dohad said during a news conference at Peshawar Press Club on Wednesday.

She added the budget documents revealed funds earmarked in the preceding year — for district governments, tehsil and village, neighborhood councils under the ADP for districts — remained unused. She believed allocations for development mocked the commitment to equal opportunities and fair distribution of resources since Rs5.1 billion or 3.22% of the total development funds was allocated for Nowshera, the home district of Chief Minister Pervez Khattak.

“The generous amount for a single district sharply contrasts with the allocation of Rs4.47 billion or only 2.78% of the total development budget to seven poor southern districts,” she said.

Dohad added the amount reflect inequality considering six districts of Hazara Division were allocated only Rs4.54 billion.

She added inequality also existed within regions as DI Khan, that has a population of around 850,000, got Rs1.62 billion while Tank with an estimated population of 240,000 has been allocated a paltry sum of Rs10 million.

Similarly, Haripur has received Rs2.17 billion while Kohistan, the poorest district in the province, is allocated a mere Rs0.17 billion, Dohad maintained.

She said the only way to ensure each district gets an equal share was to draw up a fair equation for allocating funds along the lines of the National Finance Commission.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 23rd, 2016.

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