MUZAFFARABAD, April 28: Government departments in Azad Kashmir have failed to utilize even less than half of the Annual Development Programme (ADP) funds by the end of current year's third quarter which ended on March 31.

According to official documents, the total amount of the ADP for the current year is Rs3,830 million, including a foreign aid component of Rs342 million and verified expenditures recorded by the AJK Accountant General Office, Rs1,204.167 million has been utilized instead of Rs2,489.5 million that should have been spent by the third quarter.

Surprisingly, the hydropower generation sector which, according to official announcements, is to herald a bright future for the AJK, has recorded nil expenditure, although the government has acquired the services of a former Wapda official to head the Hydro Electric Board (HEB) to make use of the potential in this sector.

The sector which received sizeable funds for public sector projects in the past was given only Rs95 million in the current ADP. Of the Rs95 million allocation, the HEB has not been able to utilize a single penny over the past nine months, according to the AG office.

Similarly, the much-hyped IT sector which is looked after by AJK President Sardar Anwar Khan, also recorded zero spending by the end of the third quarter. This sector had been given Rs80 million for the current year.

Spending by the electricity department from its allocation of Rs400 million was Rs88.698 million, i.e. only 22.17 per cent. The utilization of funds by the health department has also been poor as it could spend only 15.53 per cent of its allocation of Rs230 million.

Over several years, the department has been regularly surrendering its development budget, despite some pressing needs of hospitals. However, the Abbas Institute of Medical Sciences, Muzaffarabad, which is a separate entity, has spent 70.93 per cent of its allocation of Rs15.278 million.

In the physical planning and housing sector, the overall utilization was 30.72 per cent. However, the expenditures reported by the department were 1.78 per cent more than those verified by the AG office.

In the education sector, only 21.68 per cent of the allocation of Rs375 million has been spent. The present government has not appointed any minister for the state's education department.

The utilization in resource management/foreign-aided projects was 26.42 per cent in the agriculture sector, 52.96 per cent in crop husbandry, 56.02 per cent in animal husbandry, 60.45 per cent in forestry and watershed and 39.39 per cent in wildlife and fisheries.

The performance of tourism sector also was poor as it could utilize only 19.58 per cent of its allocation of Rs9.5 million. In the industries and minerals sector, consisting of industries department and two corporations, the utilization of the ADP stood at 28.46 per cent.

The utilization by the public works department in transport and communications sector, with a total allocation of Rs1,110.4 million, was 38.2 per cent whereas it was 42 per cent by the local government and rural development department, which was given Rs654 million.

In July 1997, the government departments were asked to ensure 65 per cent utilization of their allocations by the end of the third quarter. A notification had warned the departments that if they failed to do so, the unused funds would be transferred to departments requiring additional funds.