As funds from previous year lie unused, budget for minorities to be increased

Amount for current year was Rs800 million, which will be increased to Rs1.5 billion in upcoming year

KARACHI: Even after the passage of one year, the Sindh government’s project to install closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras and set up a surveillance system at minorities’ places of worship, including temples, gurdwaras and churches, has yet to see the light of the day.

In the past few years, most of the schemes of the minorities’ affairs department of the Sindh government remained unrealised. Performance has been gloomy as funds were not utilised. Unaffected by these negative factors, the Sindh government has decided to double the budget for minorities in the upcoming year.

In the current year, which is going to end on June 30, the department was allocated Rs800 million. This amount is now going to be increased to over Rs1.5 billion in the upcoming budget for the year 2017-2018.



Like every year, most of the schemes are identical and pertain to repair and reconstruction of temples in Sindh. "Like every year, the government has earmarked Rs100 million for rehabilitation of Sadhu Belo, a temple located at an island in Sukkur,” said an official in the Sindh government. “Around the same amount was allocated last year but only Rs0.6 million have been spent so far. Most of the funds [have been] bungled by officials and an inquiry is pending."

The extent of mismanagement of funds can be gauged from the fact that a former minorities’ minister had also given the contract of Sadhu Belo temple’s expansion and rehabilitation to a close aide who showed the expenses incurred in papers alone. Nothing was actually done for the temple.

The CCTV cameras and surveillance system project for minorities’ places of worship was devised on the directives of PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. “Around Rs400 million has been earmarked by the information and technology department and Rs100 million has been also been released, but not a single penny has been utilised,” an official in the minorities affairs department said. “Given the security threats, Bilawal had strictly asked officials concerned to expedite the project and build central rooms. But the scheme is gathering dust.”



Special Assistant to CM on Information and Technology Dr Sikandar Shoro avoided talking on the issue. His personal secretary said, “Sahib is busy and can’t talk.” Meanwhile, Dr Khatumal Jeewan, the Special Assistant to CM on Minority Affairs told The Express Tribune that there are around 500 to 600 temples, churches and gurdwaras where the CCTV network was supposed to be set up but all in vain. “I think there are some ‘technical issues’ hindering the execution of the scheme,” he said.

Talking to The Express Tribune about other schemes, Jeewan said that there were some issues in spending funds but vowed that he will ensure that this never happens again. "I have recently taken over charge of the department,” he said. “The case of Sadhu Belo funds is in the court. This delayed carrying out the development work." He said that with new funds, the temple that is frequented by devotees from India as well will not only be rehabilitated but many guest houses and courtyards will also be constructed around it.

"In this budget, we have selected a few religious places in Thar, Badin, Tando Allahyar and Thatta that are visited by both Hindus and Muslims,” said Jeewan. “We plan to rehabilitate them and set up missing facilities.”



Talking about other provisions of the budget, Jeewan said they have also set aside a substantial amount for scholarships to Hindu students and provide medical and financial assistance to deserving people. "Around 1,300 students belonging to minorities of various universities are registered with us and we give each student Rs15,000 in a year," he said, adding that they have also allocated funds for widows and poor people who cannot celebrate Diwali, Christmas and other religious festivities due to poverty.