Poor planning: Most of archaeology department’s funds lapse

Official of department said around 65% of the total amount was returned to the government as it remained unutilised

PESHAWAR:

An amount of Rs40 million allocated in the 2013-14 fiscal year for development schemes of the archaeology and museum department has lapsed. According to museum director Muhammad Naseem Khan, the funds allocated for various projects were not released on time and thus the remaining amount has been transferred to the next fiscal year.

An official of the department said around 65% of the total amount was returned to the government as it remained unutilised. “The reason the funds lapsed is that the relevant authorities were least bothered to be involved in launching various projects of the department,” said the official, adding that another reason is that only Awami National Party’s blue-eyed people were hired in the department during their tenure, who failed to perform their duties.

 

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