KARAK, Nov 3: The development funds, meant for execution of different schemes through Citizen Community Boards (CCBs) during fiscal year 2011-12, have not been released so far, according to sources.

Sources at social welfare department said that differences over the distribution of Rs630 million funds was main cause of delay in releasing the required amount to each CCB.

The office-bearers of different CCBs across the district have demanded of the authorities to release the required funds to them so that they can execute various projects including provision of drinking water, sanitation and other schemes in the education and health sectors.

Sources feared that the funds could be lapsed owing to political tussle among the elected representatives of the district. They said that there were total 340 CCBs in the district that had applied for development schemes after depositing 20 per cent of the total cost of the projects.

The budget development committee (BDC) had already recommended and short listed CCBs after the recommendations of the elected representatives but final approval by the provincial government in that regard was still awaited, sources said.

They said that many office-bearers of different CCBs withdrew their ‘call deposits’ after unnecessary delay in approval of the schemes. They said that delay in getting recommendations from the elected representatives for any scheme disappointed the office-bearers of CCBs.

Sources said that about 84 CCBs were selected for execution of schemes after thorough scrutiny but they still didn’t get approval for carrying out the projects.

The office-bearers of different CCBs said that the schemes should be approved without any further delay to make sure utilisation of the funds. They said that they would not be able to execute any development scheme with the help of allocated funds owing to increase in prices of construction material and other items.

They demanded that the funds should be increased for executing each scheme according to inflation rate.

FIRE: A large quantity of medicines reduced to ashes when fire broke out in the drug store of Karak Women and Children Hospital on Friday night.

The fire also burnt record of the drug store, said hospital sources, adding that cause of the fire was electricity short-circuiting.

They said that the fire was extinguished by the officials present on duty before it engulfed other parts of the hospital.