Proposal to spend 70pc of KP development budget for salaries of LG representatives

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's (KP) ministry for local governments (LG) has proposed that 70 per cent of the province's development budget 2015-2016, earmarked for LG, be utilised for paying allowances and salaries of elected LG officials.

Copy of document available with DawnNews. — Photo by author

Of the Rs144.42 billion budgeted outlay for LG in KP, an amount of Rs102.38bn has been proposed for the payment of LG salaries and allowances, a document acquired by DawnNews reveals.

This leaves a Rs42.04bn ─ or 30pc of the budgeted amount of Rs144.42bn ─ to be devolved to LG for development in the province.

The proposal was submitted by the KP ministry for local governments headed by senior provincial minister Inayatullah of the Jamaat-i-Islami and is currently pending approval of Chief Minister Pervaiz Khattak.

The allocation of 30pc of the KP budget to local governments had been lauded as a 'revolutionary move' at a time when the Sindh and Punjab governments had both presented what appeared to be run-of-the-mill budgets.

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abdullah

Oct 25, 2015 05:04pm

So only 30% for development .rest for the people to be employed.This shows that 70% of the tax payed by KPK people is just for to employ people.what a waste our tax money is. Wish this moneybwas spent to support factories in KPK so people would get employed.

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Gulfy

Oct 25, 2015 05:19pm

70% would be paid to so called employees

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adnan

Oct 25, 2015 05:42pm

more and more naya kpk looks like stale kpk.

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Waqar

Oct 25, 2015 05:44pm

So 70% is for sure as an solid overhead. We should expect other overheads as well to make the the whole system run for the X amount to be finally utilized. We shouldn't forget the cuts at different layers (declared/non-declared) till the tekadar makes the final work done. Based on the culture that we got in last 15 years and based on close observations of different governmental projects of the level in vicinity, hardly 1/3rd or 1/4th is actually spent on the actual bridge/stadiums/public health activities/streets etc. So we are expecting only 5 to 10% to be tangibly spent at the end. What an overhead! May be the purpose is to keep everybody busy and provide some limited employments with facilities of laptops/vehicles etc. Otherwise this whole exercise is nonviable.

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Adnan

Oct 25, 2015 06:10pm

@abdullah Not tax payed by KPK people only but all of Pakistan but mostly MQMs base city of Karachi peoples tax.

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Fair dinkom

Oct 25, 2015 06:16pm

Thats an awsome step. Thats how you reach the grass root level and people know that there is government presence at Village level. Isn't that cool move. Salute to the policy makers.

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Aquila

Oct 25, 2015 06:16pm

Is this the so called NAYA PAKISTAN? We are better off without these political geeks-elected representatives. Shame on them.

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Shiraz

Oct 25, 2015 06:21pm

So that means if there is no local government 100% of that money can be spend through provincial government.

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tasleem ulhaq

Oct 25, 2015 06:35pm

if this was the agenda of the provincial government to spend 70% of development budget on just salaries and allowances of local government officials then we just don,t need this so called local government,masses in pti should reconsider this proposal otherwise they have to pay the price in next elections foe spending development budget on just salaries.

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Khattak

Oct 25, 2015 06:47pm

This is practice in entire developed world. You expect these representative to be only volunteers for 5 years.i am flabbergasted by the retarded comments for the precious comments.

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Nadeem

Oct 25, 2015 06:57pm

What's left behind for development then?This really needs to be re-visited. It should be other way round. It would be even worse when it's done in Punjab / Sindh.

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Sharbat Gul Uztaz

Oct 25, 2015 07:00pm

@Khattak . The tax payers never asked for these so called public representatives.

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siddiq

Oct 25, 2015 07:08pm

imran khan and the jamaat islami are incharge. did you expect anything better.

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Zoaib

Oct 25, 2015 07:26pm

@abdullah The reporter has made a grave error here. This 70% is not part of the ADP of KP govt but the current expenditure and is the amount used to pay salaries for employees of depts devolved to districts. The 42 bn is about 30% of the ADP - which is exactly what was promised by KP before LB elections.

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Mozzaq

Oct 25, 2015 07:27pm

How naive can people be. 70% of the LG budget and not the whole provincial budget will be for salaries. Sigh!!!!

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Canadian Pakistani

Oct 25, 2015 07:34pm

I would say let it be a 70:30 ratio, atleast it will provide an effective system to reach to the grass root level, political learning and empowerment. We can use this human resource to resolve issues and provide a voice at grass root level.

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abdullah

Oct 25, 2015 07:46pm

@Adnan .karachi generates tax because its a port .So if we need a machine in punjab we get it from karachi port and karachi gets the tax fees.So its not becaues of karachi at all.The 70% figure given by all the parties cannot be proven.its a claim wiyh no base.

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Fair dinkom

Oct 25, 2015 07:50pm

If you want to solve the problems you have to make local bodys reps economically satisfied and you will see the result in 1 year. Chill guys dont look at the percentages it makes things confusing. The end result is would be great.

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Iqbal Khan

Oct 25, 2015 07:54pm

It would be similar to those of the UN agencies where 70% of budget goes in salaries, allowances Andrew travel expenses and the rest is hardly spend in their projects. Please CM don't look at Jamati Islami and stick to the welfare of people and spend in vice versa

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Reza

Oct 25, 2015 07:56pm

Isn't a democratic government be of the people, by the people for the people who got elected ?

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LOGICRIP

Oct 25, 2015 08:06pm

This money should have been spent on education because as I see from the comments, majority of the people cannot understand the significance of this step by KP govt which shows how uneducated the masses are. They will not be able to know what's good even if it hit them on the face.

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Usher

Oct 25, 2015 08:21pm

Very cunning move by the minister to undermine and malice the LG system.

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Haneef

Oct 25, 2015 08:35pm

LG? Third tier? What is progress of LG in the past three years and what are future plans? Does the minister even know the meaning of local government?

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M Amjad

Oct 25, 2015 08:45pm

70% on salaries of LG representives and about 30% of the whole budget was spent on the election, and the remaining budget will be spent on meetings and planning how to spend the 30% of the budget..... Very funny the govt is kidding with the masses, 102 billion will be spent on spending 42 billion...

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Shah

Oct 25, 2015 08:53pm

"Of the Rs144.42 billion budgeted outlay for LG in KP, an amount of Rs102.38bn has been proposed for the payment of LG salaries and allowances." Remaining 30% will go in corruption. That means there will be no development. Why do we need local government, if it is going to gobble up the who development funds in Salaries and allowances.

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Tariq Amir

Oct 25, 2015 08:54pm

Don't be confused. It is very simple to understand. In simple words it is called corruption and political bribe. IK is trying to buy votes that's all

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Ali

Oct 25, 2015 09:16pm

Don't agree with 70% but remember if you don't pay public employees well, they seek monetary compensation in other ways. If these people truly work well they should be compensated and not forced to accept bribes

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Yaseen

Oct 25, 2015 09:22pm

Its really the waste of tax payers money these funds are supposed to be spend on development projects to create more job for unemployed youth.....

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aijazahmed

Oct 25, 2015 09:24pm

payments to employees of local govt r being made since last many years. it is not new.then we should elect those who give their services free of stepend for five years.president and PM of Pakistan spent millions as tips from public money during their foriegn tours. is it fair?

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Hissam Amir Khan

Oct 25, 2015 09:25pm

What a shame! 70% of my tax money will be going to some incompetent fool's pocket who doesn't even know how to understand things in the first place. This is ridiculous... Instead of focusing on stupid "darnas" focus on developing the whole province. The current KPK government has so far been unable to develop the infrastructure and instead created some fancy foreign fund based organizations who are more into office politics rather than doing something good actually.

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ahmed

Oct 25, 2015 09:50pm

very misleading. 102Bn is the current expenditure not development expenditure. Since now many of the departments have been devolved, 102bn of current expense will show up under local govt head. Thats all! 30% allocation of total development expenditure (42bn) to the local govt remains unchanged.

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Sami

Oct 25, 2015 10:00pm

@Shah Its not the development budget of whole province. Its only LG budget which is merely 144 billion rs. 'Development budget" of province is separate.

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Muhammad Kamran

Oct 25, 2015 10:03pm

This is complete waste of money where 70% budget will go to employess and rest will go in corruption etc. LB was not just the solution for all the problems like some people were projecting.

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Waqar

Oct 25, 2015 10:10pm

@Khattak Khattak shb, please do not compare 'Developed world' with us. Thats the old mantra of Khan shb. Once said... 'Think globally...Act locally'

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Progressing

Oct 25, 2015 10:25pm

Its not for employment,the 70% of the budget to be used to pay salaries and ALLOWANCES,allowances?,allowances for what? Can the KPK not make a budget ?

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Ali

Oct 25, 2015 10:40pm

What else one may expect from the incompetent kpk government. Where are those highly paid technocrat advisors?

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mateen

Oct 25, 2015 10:43pm

After witnessing the bankruptcy of Mighty Khan's etiquette on the container last year now we are afraid he has lizards around him not wizards. We have been hearing that the PTI would herald a new era, the much-talked about change, in KPK through an efficient and independent LG system in the province. The KPK Government had made a promise that 30 percent of the development expenditure will be devolved to local governments for spending. KPK government has allocated 144 billion for local governments and out of that, 102 billion is earmarked for salaries which leaves a meagre 42 billion for development works. Therefore, actually only 8 percent of the development budget will be spent through local governments. Whither "Naya Pakistan?

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Abdul Wasay Khan

Oct 25, 2015 10:46pm

How naive can people be. 70% of the LG budget and not the whole provincial budget will be for salaries. Sigh!!!!This is practice in entire developed world. You expect these representative to be only volunteers for 5 years.Really I shouldnt say it but retarded comments being made here !!!It is a great step indeed

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Ayaz khan

Oct 25, 2015 10:55pm

what a joke in the name of change

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Ali

Oct 25, 2015 11:06pm

If a department is devolved from provincial to district govt, its employees salaries will be paid via district govt. Its not that these emplyees will be paid twice. News has not clarified this. If Rs 102 billions is given to 40000 LB reps, its roughly Rs 2500000/year per rep if my calculation is right. Can it be true?

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Ali

Oct 25, 2015 11:18pm

Say there are 40000 LG reps. The news says Rs 102000000000 is budget. It makes Rs 2500000/per person per year. Now more than half LG reps are not PTI members. Will any one pay this much to his/her political opponents to bring criticism on himself?

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Rain

Oct 26, 2015 01:17am

It is only a proposal guys. It is not approved yet.

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Riaz

Oct 26, 2015 01:39am

@Khattak Mr Khattak, you have hit the nail on the head. These simpletons think local government comes at no cost. Every body involved in the local government is supposed to work full time for free looking after these retarded people.

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Riaz

Oct 26, 2015 01:47am

@Tariq Amir It looks you lack even simple intelligence, at least don't make a fool of your self with such childish comments.

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Umair

Oct 26, 2015 01:55am

Well done PTI. Offcourse these representatives are not going to work for free. It's a system running successfully in the west. Imagine without these LG all the money would end In the MNA/MPA pockets

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Umar

Oct 26, 2015 02:03am

Local government is another way to create jobs for low level political leaders without helping real people. It unfortunately has been used by dictators in Pakistan to develop local level of people that they can control as they feel the national level leaders are not easily manipulated . This system was deliberately developed on a non party basis as the elected representatives could join the ruling party on the basis of money and ethnic basis which has resulted in fragmentation of the country . It is a shame that a potentially useful system has been used to manipulate the masses. We do not need to pay these useless salaries to people who will do nothing .

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Faisal

Oct 26, 2015 04:11am

it's better than giving 100% to MPAs. it will get better over time as there will be more money to spend.

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Hashim

Oct 26, 2015 04:19am

No wonder there are no worthwhile economically viable projects in KPK to speak of in the 2 years of the present regime. Last year, more than 50% of the development budget was still unused after the end of the financial year and this time around, 70% is going into salaries. More than half of the 30% that will be allocated to development will end up in ghost projects as well. This is the Naya Pakistan that was promised by PTI. Tabdeeli aa nahi rahi, tabdeeli aa gaye hai!!!

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Imran

Oct 26, 2015 05:00am

@Ali Yes, the will. It is called a political bribe so that in the next election, these people will switch their sympathies to PTI. PTI obviously needs some real economists and not just people who have been running monopolies based on exploiting the most marginalized (farmers) in Pakistan by selling them overpriced farm inputs.

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Anonymous

Oct 26, 2015 05:07am

Before any development work 2 things are must and essential 1) appropriate policies to counter corruption,governance , accountability 2) employing the appropriate human resource and create a network that reaches the ground. They also need to be paid appropriately.

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asad LATEEF

Oct 26, 2015 05:51am

@Khattak khattak is speaking,not surprised.

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Sidster

Oct 26, 2015 07:55am

@Nadeem: First year of local Government someone has to pay the salary. As the local government starts functioning we will see local government becomes self sufficient.

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Tirah wall

Oct 26, 2015 12:03pm

Are you kidding me!!!, Seriously. Without salaries (reward for services) no system can withstand, Agreed. but 70% of total allocated development budget and only 30% for development. This is something to be told at early stage, people would have rejected it way earlier. What is happening over there, Is is this what we were told of bringing positive change at local level? KP govt, come forward and halt it if something is cooking like this.

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Nouman

Oct 26, 2015 07:12pm

So 102 billion for the employees of LG Department, this department js corrupt to the core, they are already facing a lot of cases in NAB and courts. If 102 billion are reserved for salaries and 44 billion for development meaning a representative will be paid less than his salary. I would be disgusted if this is approved, it should be at least 4:6 salaries to development & any representative abusing the development fund should be dealt with an iron hand.

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Saqib Ali

Oct 28, 2015 04:15pm

Easy now People - No need to start bashing PTI or "Naya Pakistan" due a news report and as of now unapproved proposal. Thanks to Dawn for bringing this news and hopefully KPK government will revise this proposal and limit salaries to maximum 20% of the development budget. Let us have a serious approach towards solving problems rather than start screaming like a 5 year old.

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