ISLAMABAD: The government has disbursed less than 35 per cent, or Rs279 billion, from the funds meant for development schemes in the first half of the current financial year against an allocation of Rs800bn.

Interestingly, even though the government had announced that ending electricity loadshedding was its top priority, it disbursed only 12pc from the funds meant for schemes in the sector in the first five months of the period under review before picking up the pace to 31.5pc for the first half of the year as substantial releases were made in December.

The Planning Commission of Pakistan reported that Rs279bn had been released under the entire Public Sector Development Programme as of Dec 23.

Under the approved disbursement mechanism, the commission should have released at least Rs320bn. However, substantial shortfall in revenue collection during the period contributed to lower disbursements for the development programme, an official said.

In the first five months of the period, the government had released only Rs15.7bn for the power sector but the disbursement was increased to Rs41.3bn by the end of December against an allocation of Rs130bn.


Shortfall in revenue collection said to have led to lower disbursements


Moreover, the government released just Rs6.8bn for the development projects in the water sector against an allocation of Rs31.7bn, accounting for just 21.45pc of the funds.

Under the government’s disbursement mechanism, it should release 20pc of the funds in each of the first two quarters of a fiscal year followed by 30pc each in the subsequent two quarters. So, the average disbursements in first six months should be around 40pc of the total allocation for the year.

Under this mechanism, the government should have disbursed about Rs52bn in first six months instead of Rs41bn for the power sector. Also, the government should have released about Rs12.7bn in first six months instead of Rs6.8 billion for the water sector.

Lower disbursements meant that due to various difficulties the development projects in the water and power sectors were not moving ahead with the required pace even though the government said it attached great importance to them.

The National Highway Authority, which is at the centre of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, received Rs80bn in the six months against its allocation of Rs188bn, a healthy 43pc of the total earmarked for it.

The Planning Commission said it had released Rs8.3bn for the Civil Aviation Authority against its allocation of Rs14.7bn while the cabinet division was provided with Rs208 million in six months against its allocation of Rs369m.

The Capital Administration Division was given Rs844m in the first six months against its allocation of Rs2.56bn while the Climate Change Division received only Rs10m against its share of Rs1.2bn even though the Pakistan Met Department has been struggling to make proper weather forecasts due to its obsolete radar system.

The commerce ministry was given a paltry sum of Rs78m in the first six months against its share of about Rs796m while the communications ministry received only Rs114m against its allocation of Rs5.3bn.

Likewise, the defence ministry was given only Rs194m against its allocation of Rs2.5bn while the defence production division got just Rs462m against its approved share of Rs2.2bn.

The federal education and training ministry was given Rs512m against its share of Rs2.2bn. The finance ministry got Rs1.16bn in six months against an allocation of Rs9.43bn while the foreign affairs ministry was not given any funds during the period even though it is supposed to be given Rs550m in the year.

The Higher Education Commission was given Rs8.6bn in the first half of the year against its annual share of Rs21.5bn while the human rights division received only Rs8m against its share of Rs170m.

The interior ministry was given a healthy amount of Rs4.7bn against its allocation of Rs11.56bn.

The ports and shipping ministry was given only Rs836m against its allocation of Rs12bn while the Pakistan Railways received Rs14bn in the six months against its share of Rs41bn, said the report.

Published in Dawn January 4th, 2017

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