KARACHI, May 29: Sindh Chief Secretary Dr. Mutawakkil Kazi has urged all provincial departments to ensure fair utilization of development funds as this is public money and its wastage or spending in unnecessary works is against moral and religious teachings and the law.

He was speaking at a high-level meeting in connection with five-year infrastructure development plan.

The meeting deliberated on work-plan of works and services department in which the finance department was suggested to ensure release of maintenance funds in the budget according to road mileage, and districts were asked to make use of maintenance funds effectively to ensure timely completion of mega projects.

Steps were also suggested to remove the obstacles in the release of allocated funds.

Additional CS (Development) Ghulam Sarwar Khero commenting on the recommendations said that it was necessary to promote co-ordination among relevant departments for repair and maintenance works.

He informed the meeting about the PDWP schemes comprehensively prepared under the guidance of the chief secretary. He also referred to the benefits of Gorakh Hill project.

The chief secretary directed that a report about Gorakh Hill project be presented in the next meeting.

Additional Chief Secretary (Local Government) said that better environment of understanding in works and services and other departments would not only help cope the difficulties but also ensure timely completion of relevant projects of these departments.

Special secretary finance Nargis Ghallo told the meeting that her department had a comprehensive interaction with works and services department with regard to repair and maintenance works, and the finance department had been releasing funds adequately with the coordination of donor agencies for road sector development schemes.

On a point, the chief secretary clarified that toll tax creates problems in backward areas and villages.

He called for improving the quality of roads and said if the relevant revenues are spent on roads, road users would appreciate and considerable progress would be witnessed in the collection of revenues.

He said that departmental heads instead of relying only on reports, should practically work to ensure implementation on projects so that we all could play our due role in provision of facilities to masses.

Additional chief secretary (development) Ghulam Sarwar Khero, additional chief secretary (local government) Mohammad Saleem Khan, secretary of works and services Mohammad Ashfaque Memon, special secretary finance Nargis Ghallo and additional secretary (TW&S) Mohammad Arif attended the meeting.-PPI