K-P govt averse to releasing funds to districts

Despite collecting Rs4 billion as hydroelectricity profit, oil and gas royalty and tobacco cess

PESHAWAR: Despite having collected Rs4 billion as hydroelectricity profit, oil and gas royalty and tobacco cess, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government has not released this money for development and special works in the districts concerned.

Amounts collected under these three heads are supposed to be spent on the communities affected by the respective sector, sources said. During the current fiscal year provincial government has so far earned over Rs4 billion from 10% hydel power profit it takes from the federal government, 10% oil and gas royalty from exploration firms and 10% tobacco development cess from cigarette manufacturers.

However, the amount has not been released for developmental works in the districts concerned, sources said.

According to available documents, the provincial government earned Rs261.9 million from tobacco cess. The 10% hydel profit share added Rs382.9 million to the provincial kitty. Similarly, oil and gas royalty brought Rs354.9 million for the K-P exchequer.

It should be noted that, lawmakers have protested in the provincial assembly a number of times over unnecessary delays in the release of these funds, however the process could not start. 

Published in The Express Tribune, December 11^th, 2018.