The procedural delays in launching of certain development projects in Sindh during the fiscal year 2005-06, ending June 30 have caused lapse of Rs7 billion.
"Mostly, there are special development packages like Karachi Package, Hyderabad Package and Rural Package where the funds have lapsed," said Ghulam Sarwar Kherro, Additional Chief Secretary, Planning & Development, Sindh.
Speaking at a programme of Radio Pakistan Karachi on Sunday, he said that appointment of consultants by the city/district governments was one of the procedural delays.
Under the rules, the development funds if not utilised timely, stand lapsed, he added. Kherro said that the size of Annual Development Programme (ADP) for the year 2005-06 was Rs 24 billion that included Rs17.2 billion of provincial ADP and Rs6.78 billion of the district governments.
"With a view to facilitate maximum utilisation of funds, the finance department had released hundred percent funds for the ongoing schemes.
Besides, the funds for the new schemes were released soon after their approval. In addition to that Rs3 billion more than the budgetary allocations of Rs24 billion were released raising the figure to Rs27 billion," he said apprehending that hardly Rs20 billion could be utilised out of it.
Stating that the government was striving to achieve physical targets set for the new fiscal year 2006-07, Kherro said, "Rs12 billion allocated for the ongoing development schemes and the funds earmarked for district governments would be released in July."It has also been decided to get the new schemes approved by October 2006 as otherwise the funds allocated for them would have to be diverted to other accounts, he added.
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