Govt’s choice for rehab lacks profile for the task
Officer chosen for rehabilitation has 'no experience of laying down policy,supervising management of such an amount.'
LAHORE:
The Punjab government has cut its development budget by Rs8.5 billion and diverted the money for rescue and relief operations in flood affected districts, placing the monies at the disposal of the Relief Commissioner, The Express Tribune has learnt.
Out of the provided funds Rs2.41 billion has been released for the purchase of various rescue and relief items and Rs6.1 billion handed over to the federal government for disbursement amongst flood victims through Watan Cards.
This amount being spent locally has been placed at the disposal of a relatively junior officer currently in-charge of two senior posts: the Relief Board director general (DG) and the Punjab Disaster Management Authority DG.
During the first week of August, the floods hit the southern parts of the province and caused colossal damage in 11 districts. As many as 6.2 million people were affected by this calamity. 110 people were killed; crops on 1.712 million acres and 500,000 houses were damaged.
The Finance Department provided Rs849.12 million for carrying out relief operations and to meet the demands of food, tents and other goods in the flood hit districts. Out of the 2.41 billion, Rs1.56 billion was provided including Rs135 million was used to purchase ambulances, Rs80 million for purchasing medicines and insecticides. Rs 45 million was directed towards vaccines and wheat straw for livestock, Rs17 million for purchase of 200 dewatering sets and Rs11.35 million for 100 fog machines to deal with mosquitoes.
The government provided Rs3.1 million for engaging workers for flood relief activities, Rs32.50 million for purchase of generators for water purification plants, Rs2 billion for the reconstruction and repair of 975 kilometres (kms) of road and 375 kms of partially damaged roads and Rs234 million for the provision of free seeds and fertiliser to farmers.
The Punjab government provided Rs6.1 billion to the federal government as its share in disbursement through Watan Cards for cash compensation to the families in the province affected by the flood.
All the funds were made available after making a cut of the same volume in the annual development budget particularly earmarked under block allocations in the Annual Budget 2010-2011. An official of the Planning and Development Department said that a second cut would be made if flood relief and rehabilitation work demands more funds.
A senior officer, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that it was unprecedented that the utilisation of such a large amount was entrusted to a BS-19 officer, Khalid Sherdil. The entrusted officer, he said, had no experience of laying down policy or supervising the management of such an amount.
Another officer pointed out that first the Punjab government had posted Khalid Sherdil as Punjab Disaster Management Authority DG against a post of BS-20 to supervise rescue and relief activities during and after the flood.
Next, during the first week of November, it had transferred him and posted him as the Board of Revenue DG (Relief) against a vacant post. He was directed to hold the charge of the post of Provincial Disaster Management Authority DG in addition to his own duties till further orders.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 20th, 2010.
The Punjab government has cut its development budget by Rs8.5 billion and diverted the money for rescue and relief operations in flood affected districts, placing the monies at the disposal of the Relief Commissioner, The Express Tribune has learnt.
Out of the provided funds Rs2.41 billion has been released for the purchase of various rescue and relief items and Rs6.1 billion handed over to the federal government for disbursement amongst flood victims through Watan Cards.
This amount being spent locally has been placed at the disposal of a relatively junior officer currently in-charge of two senior posts: the Relief Board director general (DG) and the Punjab Disaster Management Authority DG.
During the first week of August, the floods hit the southern parts of the province and caused colossal damage in 11 districts. As many as 6.2 million people were affected by this calamity. 110 people were killed; crops on 1.712 million acres and 500,000 houses were damaged.
The Finance Department provided Rs849.12 million for carrying out relief operations and to meet the demands of food, tents and other goods in the flood hit districts. Out of the 2.41 billion, Rs1.56 billion was provided including Rs135 million was used to purchase ambulances, Rs80 million for purchasing medicines and insecticides. Rs 45 million was directed towards vaccines and wheat straw for livestock, Rs17 million for purchase of 200 dewatering sets and Rs11.35 million for 100 fog machines to deal with mosquitoes.
The government provided Rs3.1 million for engaging workers for flood relief activities, Rs32.50 million for purchase of generators for water purification plants, Rs2 billion for the reconstruction and repair of 975 kilometres (kms) of road and 375 kms of partially damaged roads and Rs234 million for the provision of free seeds and fertiliser to farmers.
The Punjab government provided Rs6.1 billion to the federal government as its share in disbursement through Watan Cards for cash compensation to the families in the province affected by the flood.
All the funds were made available after making a cut of the same volume in the annual development budget particularly earmarked under block allocations in the Annual Budget 2010-2011. An official of the Planning and Development Department said that a second cut would be made if flood relief and rehabilitation work demands more funds.
A senior officer, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that it was unprecedented that the utilisation of such a large amount was entrusted to a BS-19 officer, Khalid Sherdil. The entrusted officer, he said, had no experience of laying down policy or supervising the management of such an amount.
Another officer pointed out that first the Punjab government had posted Khalid Sherdil as Punjab Disaster Management Authority DG against a post of BS-20 to supervise rescue and relief activities during and after the flood.
Next, during the first week of November, it had transferred him and posted him as the Board of Revenue DG (Relief) against a vacant post. He was directed to hold the charge of the post of Provincial Disaster Management Authority DG in addition to his own duties till further orders.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 20th, 2010.