May 23, 2002	Thursday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 10,1423

PESHAWAR, May 22: The NWFP government recorded massive shortfall in abiana receipts during the first 10 months of the current financial year, leaving the achievement of Rs303 million annual target an impossible task, according to sources.

The province raised a total of Rs114 million during the July-April 2001-02 period, leaving no chance for the government to meet the annual target set for the current fiscal.

The money realized, so far, as abiana receipts (water rate) makes over 37 per cent of the total annual target and 45 per cent of the Rs252.5 million the province was supposed to meet during the first ten months of the current fiscal on proportionate basis.

Despite the fact that the provincial government raises abiana rates every year by 25 per cent, NWFP even failed to improve abiana receipts in comparison with its recovery position in the corresponding period of the last fiscal, sources said.

The province, according to sources, recorded a shortfall of Rs21 million when compared with the abiana receipts raised during the corresponding period of the last financial year.

Against Rs114 million raised in 10 months, the province had registered total abiana recoveries of Rs135 million during the corresponding period of last fiscal.