Zero utilisation of development funds by many depts

Even after the passage of 11 months of the financial year 2022-23, many departments of the Sindh government have not utilised a rupee from the development budget with zero per cent expenditure shown in progress reports released by the provincial finance department.

Besides zero development spending by many departments, the education, health, transport, irrigation, culture, human rights and women development have only spent a partial amount of the allocated budget according to the data of the Sindh Finance Department.

As the new budget for fiscal year 2023-24 approaches fast the development funds remain unspent.

Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon while commenting on the budget utilisation said that most of the funds of various departments were diverted to rescue, and relief in the aftermath of the flood that's why their performance painted a dismal picture. "In the coming budget, we have given priority to the rehabilitation process and will finish the ongoing schemes too," he said.

Meanwhile, according to the official report available with The Express Tribune, the provincial government during the current fiscal of 2022-23 allocated Rs322 billion for around 4,158 ongoing and new schemes under its public sector development programme. However, only Rs141b was utilised from the Rs322b.

The data regarding the health department expenditure revealed that initially Rs23.3b was allocated for various schemes of the department, but it was later curtailed to Rs16.8b diverting the funds for floods affected areas last year.

"Among the revised budget, the finance department released Rs5.21b for different health projects, but it spent only Rs2.93b,” an official sharing the data said, adding that not a single rupee has been spent on some projects which are in the doldrums.

"In the current year's budget, the health department allocated Rs33 million for the construction of a 50-bed hospital in the Ancholi neighbourhood of the Federal B Area, Karachi. The funds were released, but there was no work on the ground," sources requesting not to be named said.

Similarly, a scheme for the establishment of a medical complex on the National Highway near Razzaqabad, Bin Qasim Town, also hangs in limbo. "A total of Rs1,429 million were kept for this, but all in vain, the funds were not used and would lapse with the end of the financial year on June 30," an official requesting anonymity said.

As per budget books, the school education department allocated Rs15,312 million for its development portfolio for 2022-23, later its budget was revised to Rs12,294 million owing to the diversion of funds for flood relief works.

The finance department, given its limited resources, released Rs7,461 million to the education department for carrying out development work on various schemes, but it has so far spent Rs4,605 million only.

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According to the finance department progress report, the government has fixed Rs95 million for the rehabilitation and improvement of 4,560 high-priority primary and elementary schools located in Karachi.

Even after the passage of 11 months of the fiscal year, not a single rupee has been released and utilised so far under this head. The same situation has happened in Thatta where Rs13 million were earmarked for upgrading primary and middle schools, but officials did not carry out the required work and allowed funds to lapse. Sujjawal, Ghotki, and Tando Muhammad Khan schools also suffered from the same situation. On the other hand, a zero per cent budget has been utilised for the construction of buildings of primary schools in Hyderabad, Tando Muhammad Khan, Jamshoro, Dadu, Larkana, Kamber Shahdadkot, Tharparkar, Umerkot, Naushahro Feroze, Sanghar and Sukkur.

"Around Rs7 million to 10 million has been allocated for each district for the purpose, but the budget remained unspent," an officer privy to the development said, adding that the education department in the current fiscal year also kept unused the funds for rehabilitation and reconstruction of schools with dilapidated buildings in each of the districts. The budget ranged from Rs6 million to Rs10 million was fixed for each of the districts, but all the projects are in shambles. Similarly, the Sindh government allocated Rs5,591 million for the universities and boards and released Rs2,044 million to it, but the department has so far spent Rs712 million.

Agriculture

For agriculture, the government allocated Rs5,564 million and released Rs3,828 million for development projects, but the department has shown only Rs2,966 expenditure.

The human rights and women's development departments remained the worst in performance when it comes to budget utilization. According to the officials in the finance department, Rs57 million were allocated for human rights, but not a single penny was released for its development projects.

The same situation happened with the Ministry of Women's Development. However, the 11 months expenditure report of the irrigation department revealed that it was allocated a revised Rs19,117 million and the finance department released Rs18,895 million, but the department has spent only Rs15,995 million.

The revised budget of the culture department stood at Rs1,556 million and the government released Rs1,357 million, but the department has spent Rs1,016 million in the last 11 months.