Curtain raiser: ADP allocations to help strengthen current projects, says Sirajul Haq

Finance minister claims only a political settlement of the security situation would yield positive results.

PESHAWAR:

Minister for Finance Sirajul Haq on Thursday said upcoming allocations for the Annual Development Programme (ADP) will be spent on improving the efficiency of existing facilities instead of erecting new infrastructure in the province.

The senior minister was at the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KPCCI) to consult the business community over the formation of the provincial budget for the next financial year. Businessmen associated with KPCCI were also present on the occasion.

Haq revealed the ADP allocations have been increased to Rs139 billion in the forthcoming provincial budget from Rs118 billion in the outgoing fiscal year.

“The funds will be spent on enhancing capacity of existing infrastructure instead of initiating new schemes that do not offer anything to the public,” said the minister.

Referring to a mass transit system (MTS) for Peshawar, he said, “There are some projects which we wish to see in our lives, MTS is one of them but at the moment it is just an idea.” However, the Mufti Mahmood Flyover would be open for public within the next three months, he added.

He said the ADP allocations are still very low and only capable of solving problems of the provincial capital, however, the government will have to utilise the funds for the whole province.

“Under the AGN Kazi formula, the federal government has to pay Rs375 billion in net hydel profits to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P),” he said, adding the issue will be taken with the centre to secure the province’s interests.

Referring to the security situation of the country in general and K-P in particular, Haq said without improving law and order, all efforts at an economic revival in the country would fail.

“If we fail to improve our security situation within a couple of years, the country would be no better than any African failed state,” said the minister, who is also the ameer of the Jamaat-e-Islami.

He said in the previous budget, Rs23 billion was allocated for security and later the amount was increased to Rs27 billion. He informed the figure would be higher in the upcoming budget.

However, he said the purchase of modern weaponry would not solve the issue as it needs a political settlement.

KPCCI President Zahidullah Shinwari told the minister to properly monitor the ADP allocations to various institutions as during the outgoing year, many departments failed to utilise majority of the earmarked funds.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 13^th, 2014.