HYDERABAD, Jan 14: The lapsed funds of the district government, including those of former Sindh governor's development package, Khushhal Pakistan Programme and the ADP 2002-3, will be released by the end of January.

This was assured by adviser to Sindh chief minister for local Bodies Waseem Akhtar while talking to journalists at a lunch, hosted in his honour by District Naib Nazim Nawab Rashid Ali Khan here on Wednesday.

He said that the funds would be used to complete the incomplete development schemes in the district. The adviser admitted that the people and district government representatives faced hardships due to delay in the completion of the water supply and sewerage schemes.

Answering a question, he said that Sindh government had not changed its decision to hire consultants and project director from private sector for the Rs10.5 billion Hyderabad development plan.

When asked whether the taluka Nazims had been inducted in the steering committee for the plan, as demanded by the district Nazim, he said that so far old decision was valid and no new decision was made by the government in this regard.

He said that devolution process of the Hyderabad Development Authority was under process and some Katchi Abadis were being regularized on the directive of the prime minister.

About shifting of families from Pucca Qila for its preservation, he said that the Mutahidda Qaumi Movement would abide by the decision supported by the concerned families, adding that if they were happy in the shifting, his party had no objection to it.

Mr Akhtar supported the argument that a master plan should be prepared for Hyderabad in which sewerage and water supply schemes should be laid on top priority basis.

He asked the Water and Sanitation Agency managing director to ensure that there should were no complaints regarding water supply in the city since water had been released in the Akram Wah.

To a question he said that his party would take part in next local bodies elections. Last year in December, District Nazim Dr Makhdoom Rafiquzzaman had resigned from the steering committee of the Hyderabad development plan. He had demanded that eight taluka Nazims of his district should be inducted in the committee and a government official should be appointed as project director for the plan.