PESHAWAR, June 26: The NWFP government, usually referred to as cash-strapped, has spent Rs213.787 million on functioning of secretariats of the governor, the chief minister and 16-member provincial cabinet in the outgoing fiscal year.

Figures in the budget document negated the government’s claims about having curbed non-developmental expenditure as the government spent 38 per cent higher than actual allocations for the outgoing fiscal year.

According to budget estimates, cumulatively Rs154.858 million had been allocated for salaries and other operational expenses of the governor, the chief minister, ministers and their support staff in the outgoing financial year.

However, the revised estimates of the outgoing fiscal year indicate that expenditures, both of salary and non-salary components, have surpassed the actual estimates putting the total at Rs213.787 million. This shows an excess of Rs58.929 million, comparing to the actual estimates of the outgoing fiscal year.

The government has proposed to spend Rs162.941 million on these heads in the next financial year which is just 5 per cent higher than the actual allocation for the outgoing fiscal year.

However, the current trend suggests that revised estimates of the next fiscal year are likely to be much higher than the actual estimates.

About Rs31.3 million was allocated for the governor’s secretariat and the Governor’s House in the outgoing fiscal year, while the reported expenditures were 63 per cent higher than the actual allocation at slightly more than Rs51 million.

The government has proposed to spend Rs34.981 million on the same head in the fiscal year2007-08.

The chief minister’s secretariat collectively spent Rs87.39 million in the outgoing fiscal year -- about Rs20.4 million more than the actual allocation of Rs66.985 million.

The government has earmarked an amount of Rs72.299 million for the same head in the next year’s budget.

In the outgoing fiscal year, the provincial cabinet had cost the exchequer Rs75.322 million, which was Rs18.768 million or 33 per cent higher than actual estimates while it will claim about Rs55.66 million in the next fiscal year.