Over a decade of spending: Development yet to be seen in province despite hefty allocations

Data shows successive govts earmarked billions but did not use complete funds.

PESHAWAR: For the past 14 years, four successive governments have claimed to have spent billions of rupees on development projects in the province, however, information available with The Express Tribune shows actual spending was limited.

According to data obtained from the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Planning and Development department, the four previous governments have spent Rs533 billion on development projects.

Interestingly, these successive governments got this money either through foreign aid or Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) from the federal government to spend on development schemes in K-P. However, the basic problems being faced by people are yet to be addressed and development in the province remains negligible.

The data reveals that in total, over Rs609 billion was announced by the former Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) government, Awami National Party (ANP)-Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government, former governor Iftikhar Hussain Shah and the incumbent government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and its coalition partners. But the real expenditure stands at Rs533 billion, including the ongoing fiscal year’s amount of Rs72 billion.

Despite spending such a hefty amount on development schemes, the governments remained unable to overcome poverty and develop infrastructure in the province.

According to details, from 2000-2001 till fiscal year 2003 during the tenure of former governor Iftikhar Hussain Shah, more than Rs30 billion was allocated for development schemes out of which Rs27 billion was spent.

Similarly, in MMA’s reign of five years, over Rs117 billion was earmarked for development schemes out of which around Rs112 billion was used, while during the ANP-PPP coalition government over Rs344 billion was allocated and Rs322 spent.

Furthermore, as per the available data, during the ongoing fiscal year, the PTI-led coalition government allocated Rs118 billion out of which only Rs72 billion has been spent so far.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 9^th, 2014.