Sindh Assembly: Between 30-40% of budgeted funds are usurped by corruption

Rana Abdul Sattar of the PML-F said that funds allocated for different schemes were embezzled every year.

KARACHI: An MPA belonging to Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) in the Sindh Assembly on Wednesday objected that as much as 30 to 40 per cent of funds allocated in the budget had been devoured by corruption, with no measures taken to stop the practice.

Rana Abdul Sattar, during his speech on the proposed budget for fiscal year 2012-13, said he won't term the budget people-friendly as funds allocated for different schemes were embezzled every year. He said no efforts were taken to reconstruct and repair damaged roads in districts of the province.

Regarding law and order, Sattar said that parties which were coalition partners of the government have also staged walkouts from the assembly. He asked whether they were protesting against themselves. He requested that the MPA priority funds should be increased from the existing Rs60 million to Rs100 million.

A total of 11 lawmakers participated in the discussion – seven from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), three Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and one PML-F. Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza presided over the session.

New busses

Minister for Transport Akhtar Hussain Jadoon discussing the achievements of his department, said a total of 5500 diesel-run buses would be operational soon. He said Mass Transit Program should be initiated for Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur. He added that modern training centres were being established to provide training to drivers.

Additional funds for MPAs

Syed Manzar Imam of MQM said his constituency, the PS-95, Orangi had 2.5 million people and sought more funds to cater to the education and health sectors in his area. He said at least Rs2 billion should be allocated for the K-4 water project in Karachi.

He said law and order had become worse as lives of people were not even safe.

MQM's Zareen Majeed said government had not formed any concrete policy for poverty, energy crisis and inflation, adding that 38 to 40 per cent of the people were still living below the poverty line.

She said that the solution to all problems lay in good governance and sincerity with their respective jobs. She suggested that all kind of incomes should be taxed through a direct tax.

Sikander Shoro of the PPP said the government should establish more health training institutes for the welfare of the people.

Imadad Pitafi said the education system in the province was in shambles and appealed to the President and the Chief Minister to take steps to improve it.

MQM Legislature Tahir Qureshi argued that 40 per cent of ADP allocations had never been utilised and demanded that lapsed funds should be used in other projects. He said a college was built in SITE Area and while it was yet to become operational, its employees have continued to withdraw salaries every month. Such practices should be checked and action should be taken against them, he added.

He also called for replacing old water pumping stations in Lyari with new ones.