PESHAWAR, Dec 12: The provincial government has decided to release funds to the district governments on quarterly basis to help them avoid the financial difficulties they used to face under the previous system of funds distribution, official sources said.

The move, said the sources, was necessitated to rectify the situation. Previously, the district governments used to get funds on monthly basis in accordance with their respective share on proportionate basis from the provincial divisible pool.

“Though the funds were released every month, but the money transfer to the bank accounts of the district governments would take some time due to certain requirements, involved in the matter,” said a senior official of the provincial government.

Previously, the local governments would get the funds after getting it sanctioned from the provincial authorities who were required to issue the sanction orders after scrutinizing the financial accounts of all the district governments at the end of every month, sources said.

“The scrutiny exercise is meant to keep a check on the expenses to ensure that the district governments utilize the funds in accordance with their respective budgetary plans chalked out by each of them for the current financial year,” said the sources.

However, as it took some time to carry out the scrutiny on part of the provincial authorities, the district governments could not get the funds well in time and subsequently would face problems.

Under the new system, said the sources, the district governments would be released funds at the start of every quarter to ensure the availability of funds at the time of need.