No work to show: Even with funds, Sindh govt fails to deliver development schemes

More than 100 schemes in the health and education sectors await the release of funds.

KARACHI:

The Sindh government claims to have utilised around 70 per cent of its Rs185 billion development budget for the current year, 2013-14. The 10-month progress report, however, paints a dismal picture in terms of the release and utilisation of funds in major sectors.

The report, which is available with The Express Tribune, reveals zero per cent expenditure in over 100 crucial schemes falling under the domain of the health and education departments alone. Moreover, not a single penny was spent on 230 schemes and 75 schemes in the roads and local government departments respectively.

Education

“The government has allocated Rs5,010 million for the up-gradation of primary schools to middle schools in Sindh,” reads the report. “The finance department has released Rs50 million for the scheme but the utilisation is zero in the 10 months of this fiscal year.” Similarly, Rs500 million was earmarked to provide better facilities at colleges. Despite having the funds, the department failed to initiate this programme too.



The establishment of comprehensive schools was a unique feature in the provincial budget, for which the education department was allocated Rs3,775 million. These funds have all gone to waste as the progress report shows zero utilisation.

Some of the major educational schemes that show zero per cent of the budget utilisation include the establishment of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto University of Law at Karachi, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Cadet College, Garhi Khuda Bux, in Larkana, building computer labs in existing colleges of the province, provision of sports and transport facilities at high schools, early education reforms and curriculum development.  “Around 158 development schemes were to be initiated by the education department in the current year,” a senior official in the education department told The Express Tribune. “The finance department has not released a single penny for 60 important projects and schemes.”

Health

In the health sector, a hefty sum was allocated for 180 schemes. The progress report shows, however, that either a paltry amount has been utilised in some instances while the status of expenditure is missing in others.



There are around 49 schemes against which the expenditure status is zero. An ambulance service, equipped with ventilators and oxygen cylinders, is among other schemes that have yet be executed for want of funds. A budget of Rs195 million was allocated for this scheme, which has yet to be released.

The document shows that Thalassaemia centres were to be established at Civil Hospital, Karachi, Lyari General Hospital, Liaquat University Hospital, Hyderabad, and Peoples Medical College, Benazirabad. There is also provision in the budget to start urological diagnostic services at five district hospitals in the province. The government failed, however, fund for these.

Similarly, Rs35 million had been allocated for the establishment of an infectious disease control department in all the teaching hospitals, but the funds are yet to be released.

Other schemes that remain on paper include the establishment of an accident emergency and trauma centre in New Karachi, Paeds Institute of Heart Diseases in Karachi, SIUT multi-organ transplantation and biological Centre at Kathore, Karachi, a kidney centre at Hyderabad, Thalessaemia control activities across the province, the provision of CT scan and MRI equipment at public hospitals and the child survival programme in Sindh. The government has not released funds for any of these schemes.

Other sectors

With the water crises one of the major issues of contention for Karachi citizens, Rs1000 million had been earmarked for the Greater Karachi Water Supply Scheme (K-4). The 10-month progress report shows there has been no expenditure on the project. Meanwhile, there was provision of Rs150 million for the Sindh Emergency Service (Rescue 1122) and Disaster preparedness projects. Both schemes are still limited to on paper.

When contacted, the adviser to CM on finance, Murad Ali Shah, refused to comment on the issue. “I will not speak to media,” he said abruptly. Finance secretary was also unwilling to speak on the issue.

On the other hand, the minister for parliamentary affairs, Dr Sikandar Mandhro and information minister Sharjeel Memon insisted that they have utilised more than 70 per cent of the budget.

“There are few projects which need the approval of higher authorities,” said Dr Mandhro, as he defended his government. “Some schemes are delayed because of technical hurdles otherwise we have done better than other provinces,” he said, referring to the utilisation of provincial development budget of Rs185 billion.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 5^th, 2014.