HYDERABAD, June 21: An amount of Rs141 million may remain unused and lapse in the current fiscal year if the Sindh finance department does not allow the district treasury office to transfer the fund to the non-lapsable account of the district government , inquiries by this correspondent reveal.

The official permission for the utilization of funds was given on May 30 that had created a stir among all union council nazims because they feared the amount could not be utilized in the current year once again as had happened last year.

Hardly ten days are left in the current fiscal year but notice inviting tender (NIT) has not been called yet by the service and works department. The amount has to be utilized for development schemes of Rs1.3 million in each union council of the district for year 2003-04.

The amount was in fact allocated for development schemes of Rs3.7 million for each UC under the annual development programme 2002-03 but it lapsed as authority from the accountant general branch was issued quite late.

The district government's finance department had utilized its savings of the last years budget in order to continue schemes of Rs3.7 million in each UC. The district council members resorted to a series of protest after the funds for the ADP 2002-03 lapsed.

District Nazim Makhdoom Rafiquzzaman and finance officials took a year to get the amount reappropriated after countless meetings with the Sindh finance department officials.

On Saturday the EDO finance and planning informed Naib District Nazim Nawab Rashid Ali Khan that authority for funds of Rs141 million was issued on May 30 and the district treasury officer had refused to transfer the same from the lapsable account number-1 to non-lapsable account number-4 without the approval by the Sindh finance secretary.

District Nazim Makhdoom Rafiquzzaman had told the district council members few months back that he had already asked departments concerned to complete necessary formalities for the utilisation of funds as soon as they are released.

If the funds are not utilized it meant that not a single penny is spent in the current fiscal year on development side under the ADP 2003-04 by the district government, said Yousuf Qureshi and Dr Ayaz Arain after holding a meeting with the EDO finance.

Inquiries revealed that the EDO finance told council members that the development schemes of Rs530 million for the next year had been prepared on recommendation of EDOs.