Waiting for a (re)lapse: ‘Government needs to expedite use of development funds’

CCGPA report says only 3% of budget for primary education used by Nov 24.

PESHAWAR: The Centre for Governance and Public Accountability (CGPA) has urged the government of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa to expedite the use of the development budget allocated under the Annual Development Programme (ADP). This was stated in a press release issued by the organisation on Monday.

It stated the K-P government could only utilise 7.8% of the total allocation—Rs137.7 billion—by November 24. According to the CGPA, if this trend continues, the government will not be able to make use of the programme, causing a lapse in development allocation.

The statement added elementary and secondary education was allocated the highest amount of Rs20.1 billion which is 14.67% of the total development budget. However, only Rs612 million was used till November 24; only 3% of the allocated amount for the sector for the 2014-15 fiscal year.

This, according to the CGPA, reflects slow progress on part of the government in one of the most important sectors.

The allocated budget in other areas such as infrastructure and social development has also not been utilised to its fullest, read the handout.

In the statement, CGPA Programme Manager Malik Masood said the K-P government needs to have an efficient and accountable mechanism for improving ADP spending. This, he highlighted, was important as the government needs to start planning ahead for development projects for 2015-16 to avoid lapse of funds.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 2^nd, 2014.