NHA refused funds

Published March 20, 2012

ISLAMABAD, March 20: The ministry of finance has refused to release Rs15 billion to the National Highway Authority (NHA) under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) leaving the NHA in great trouble, Dawn has learnt.

In the budget 2011-12, an amount of Rs33 billion was allocated of which Rs18bn had so far been released to the authority and the remaining was withheld on the plea that it may be compensated from the special grants and foreign funding the authority received from the government and foreign banks for some construction works.

The NHA has so far received a grant of Rs4 billion for land acquisition for Faisalabad-Multan-Motorway (M-4), Rs2bn for Lowari Tunnel on the special directives of the prime minister. Apart from this, the NHA has also received Rs12bn foreign funding for different projects from different sources, it has been learnt.

Federal Minister for Communication Dr Arbab Alamgir Khan told Dawn that the ministry of finance had included grants and foreign funding in the PSDP allocation of NHA.

The minister said that such funds were not part of PSDP. “Grants are issued in some specific circumstances on the directives of president or prime minister. Similarly, foreign funding comes for particular projects after intensive negotiations between NHA officials and foreign organisations. These funds have nothing to do with the PSDP allocation,” the minister added.

“I have informed the finance ministry that the withheld share of NHA be released so that the ongoing roads construction projects are completed,” Alamgir said. He also said that there should be appropriate/equal allocations for all the four provinces and the PSDP share of one province should not be spent on roads in another province.

Opinion

Editorial

‘Source of terror’
Updated 29 Mar, 2024

‘Source of terror’

It is clear that going after militant groups inside Afghanistan unilaterally presents its own set of difficulties.
Chipping in
29 Mar, 2024

Chipping in

FEDERAL infrastructure development schemes are located in the provinces. Most such projects — for instance,...
Toxic emitters
29 Mar, 2024

Toxic emitters

IT is concerning to note that dozens of industries have been violating environmental laws in and around Islamabad....
Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...