Spending on development

The government has the reputation of being stingy when it comes to the welfare of people. The Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), encompassing projects on the development of various infrastructure, acquired 35 per cent of its allocated amount in the first half of the current fiscal year. According to the Ministry of Planning, Development and Reform, PSDP projects received Rs279.5 billion, the majority of which has gone to four sectors of the leadership’s choice: security, power, roads and parliamentarian schemes. It would uphold the basic tenet of accountability if the leadership could present evidence corroborated by a third-party and not by its own workers controlled by puppeteers that such schemes as the latter are serving their purposes. Although most of these categories are urgent need of our time, why certain other sectors were neglected, such as water security, escapes us. The released funds were 35 per cent of the sanctioned amount, although guidelines set out by the National Economic Council, headed by PM Nawaz Sharif, called for a 40 per cent release in the first two quarters of the fiscal year. It is laudable that almost all of the appropriated funds were released. However, while other sectors did not meet their first half targets, parliamentarians’ schemes received 100 per cent of their budget, which is not so peculiar considering the selfish nature of those in power. Meanwhile, the government justified the shortage in release of funds to other sectors by complaining of lack of revenue.

Any budget for development should entail fair spending in the most imperative areas, depending on priority. Such decisions cannot be based on the preferences of those in power. The government’s shortfall in revenue is vexing; with the FBR so active of late, where are the fruits of their work — the recovered loot? It is promising to nearly see an overall release of funds on schedule, but there needs to be better management.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 9^th, 2017.

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