DADU, Fab 2: Corrupt officials and political interference were affecting the pace of work on the development schemes in the Dadu district, including the Khushhal Pakistan Programme, the Drought Emergency Relief Assistance and the Annual Development Programme.

Referring to the KPP schemes, sources said that funds had been allocated to the district government, Dadu, for 295 schemes under the third phase of the programme.

Sources said the government had released Rs210 million for these schemes during 2001-2002, but only 141 schemes had been completed since 2001, utilizing only Rs100 million. They added that a sum of Rs110 million had lapsed.

Later, these funds were released again to the district government, in addition to Rs50 million to carry out work on the remaining schemes.

They blamed the concerned departments for their failure to issue tender notices, adding that work orders were issued for only 16 development projects.

According to them, Rs392 million was released for 85 schemes under the Drought Emergency Relief Assistance during 2002-03.

Some 51 schemes, they said, were approved by the education works department, but the work has not yet been initiated on these schemes.

They said that Rs70 million had earlier been released for 83 schemes under the President’s Programme, out of which only Rs20 million were utilized. Later, they added, the federal government had stopped funds for these schemes altogether.

Recently, sources said, the provincial secretary, education, had stopped funds for 26 new schemes, including 10 middle and 16 primary schools, for unknown reasons.

Under the ADP 2002-03, sources said the government had released Rs50 million for 78 schemes, but only Rs23 million were utilised.

This correspondent learnt that the provincial government had also stopped funds for nine road development schemes under the ADP, including Bhoriri-Dhani Bux village road, Gaji Khawar-Mirza Wah village road and Thana Bula Khan to Dhamachi village road.

It was also learnt that the federal government had released Rs45 million to the Sindh government for the Gorakh Hill Station. But the work on Bado Jabal schemes, including a TB sanatorium, a police training centre and water supply schemes, is yet to begin.