KARACHI: Sindh government released Rs 1.578 billion under the head of mega-projects Karachi by the end of first week of May against the total allocation of Rs 1.94 billion in the budget of current fiscal year.
The utilization of funds stood at Rs 1.098 billion, which is 57 percent of the total allocation and 70 percent of the amount released so far.
The latest figures of the provincial government suggested that released amount is 81 percent of the total allocation.
Although the allocated amount in the budget was meager in view of the population size of the city, utilization of funds picked up in the second and third quarters of the of the fiscal year as in the first quarter it registered zero utilization.
The budget execution report of Sindh government for the period under review stated that the entire allocation of Rs 1.94 billion has been made for 18 ongoing development schemes - the projects which had been approved in the previous budgets - and one new scheme for which a paltry sum of Rs9 million has been allocated.
The new 'mega-scheme for Karachi' relates to providing and fixing of traffic lights, gantries and signboards and carrying out of the rehabilitation/beautification of roads as city is facing massive infrastructure problems, which has been causing troubles to citizens of Karachi.
The ongoing schemes include construction of a U-turn at Natha Khan Bridge, construction of an underpass at the Submarine Chowrangi, rehabilitation and improvement of Karachi Zoo, construction of a road from Tank Chowrangi to the Super Highway, and construction of a flyover at the Tipu Sultan intersection, etc.
Besides, it includes the widening and reconstruction of the Stadium Road, rehabilitation and improvement of roads in surrounding areas of Lea Market, widening of the bridge over Orangi Nullah near the Habib Bank Chowrangi, construction of an SWD from the Star Gate to Chakora Nullah on Shahrah-e-Faisal and reconstruction and rehabilitation of road from the Jam Sadiq Bridge to Dawood Chowrangi.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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