HYDERABAD, Nov 10: Distr-icts carved out of Hyderabad are facing a host of difficulties because the Sindh government has not revalidated lapsed funds of Rs150 million as promised, set up district governments’ group of offices and posted required staff there.

District government sources told Dawn on Thursday that funds which were committed by Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim and released soon after the creation of districts under the provincial Annual Development Progra-mme 2004-05, had not been revalidated after they lapsed in June.

The provincial government had laid great emphasis on division of Hyderabad at the beginning of the year on the ground that it would facilitate people because they would not have to travel to the city and they would find it easy to get their problems resolved at their own district headquarters. “However, the present situation is in sharp contrast to the Sindh government’s pledge because the provincial finance department is not revalidating Rs150 million that lapsed in June”, said an official of the district government.

He said the Sindh government had committed Rs50 million to each new district under the provincial ADP which was to be revalidated before it was released to districts.

District administrations of Tando Allahyar, Matiari and Tando Mohammad Khan had prepared various schemes of roads, buildings, renovation, streetlights, etc. In the Tando Allahyar district, tenders had been floated for development schemes.

Soon after the division of Hyderabad, Rs9 million out of savings of 2004-05 were equally distributed among the three districts to ensure day to day work of the districts. This amount was followed by a commitment of Rs50 million by the chief minister.

“Actually provincial finance officials lack seriousness in their approach towards development of these districts,” said an official.” He argued that when the finance department knew that the funds stood lapsed on June 30 why it released Rs150 million just a few days before the closure of fiscal year. He added that finance officials were also aware of the fact that revalidation of the funds was not easy and it always entailed a cumbersome procedure to be adopted by the district administration or the nazim.

Sources pointed out that when under the devolution plan the local body elections were held and district governments were formed each of them were given a huge amount of transition funds for running daily affairs. The Hyderabad district government had got Rs30 million of transition funds.

They added that the new district governments should have been given transition funds on the same pattern given the capacity of each district but it had not been done, causing numerous problems to the local governments.