Budget breakdown: Seven southern districts get Rs0.2b more than Nowshera

OAKF representative says big money reserved for hometowns of bigwigs

PESHAWAR: Large budgetary allocations have been made for the more developed districts, the constituencies of powerful parliamentarians, lawmakers and politicos. The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government meanwhile ignored southern districts such as Lakki Marwat, Bannu, Karak, Hangu, DI Khan, Kohat and Tank.

This was said by Omar Asghar Khan Foundation’s Rashida Dohar during a press conference on Tuesday. Dohar said a total of Rs5.5 billion has been allocated for the seven districts while Rs10.6 billion will be spent on Nowshera, Swabi and Upper Dir. “Allocating 5.38% of the total budget for three developed districts while allocating 3% for [seven of the most] chronically poor districts is unfair,” she said.

Dohar said Rs5.3 billion has been set aside for the hometown of Chief Minister Pervez Khattak – Nowshera; Rs2.6 billion for K-P Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser and Minister for Health Shahram Khan Tarakai’s native Swabi district and Rs1.5 billion will be spent on the uplift of Upper Dir – the hometown of Jamaat-e-Islami Chief Senator Sirajul Haq. “This discriminatory behaviour is evidence of their politics of patronage and negates the government’s claims of fair governance,” she said.

The OAKF representative said Rs124 billion or a staggering 71% of the total development funds were retained in block allocations (money budgeted without specified break-ups). “It was even greater than the previous year’s Rs94 billion.”

She added this gave unlimited discretionary powers to politicians and bureaucrats to move amounts around within the purpose stated for the block with ease.

She demanded fair allocation of the 30% that will be doled out for the local government system.

In the FY 2015-16 budget, Rs30.27 billion will be provided under the district annual development programme. Under the LG head, another Rs18.26 billion have been set aside for ongoing and new projects– of the Rs6.1 billion has been earmarked for six districts for specified purposes.

Much of the remaining Rs12.1 billion includes block allocation for pre-determined priorities like provision of LED/Solar streetlights or the construction of slaughterhouses.

Dohar said if the government intends to govern with transparency, it must disburse funds fairly so all citizens can access social services and development opportunities.

“A provincial finance commission should be setup in this regard.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 24^th, 2015.