KARACHI, Nov 24: Sindh has not only made a record allocation of Rs11 billion for the fiscal 2003-04, but also achieved a record utilization of 94.1 per cent that has never made since 1972.
This was stated by Sindh Minister for Planning and Development Shoaib Ahmed Bukhari while giving a performance review of the ADP 2003-04 at a press conference here on Wednesday.
Additional Chief Secretary Ghulam Sarwar Khero and other senior officials of the department were also present on the occasion. The minister pointed out that the funds released by the finance department and placed at the disposal of the concerned administrative departments/district governments were of the order of Rs9.832 billion or 89 per cent of the ADP.
The concerned departments/district governments were able to utilize Rs9.252 billion or 94.1 per cent of the released amount which appeared to be a record achievement compared with the utilization of Rs4.709 billion in 2002-03, he added.
Mr Bukhari said the performance was achieved with the cooperation of finance department and regular monitoring of progress on various schemes. He said that achievement by major departments stood at 85.7 per cent but the over all achievement was 94.1 per cent.
While performance of district governments in fund utilization was commendable, that of other the departments, like works and services, forest and livestock, labour and transport, and irrigation and power remained outstanding, he remarked.
Among the district governments, he observed, that of Shikarpur remained on top as it consumed 100 per cent of the released amount whereas Jacobabad district was lowest at 72.5 per cent due to non-utilization of the amount allocated for water supply scheme (Phase-VI). Hyderabad district, utilized 81.9 per cent of the funds owing to late release of the amount to it.
Badin and Nawabshah districts utilized 99.9 per cent of the funds, Thatta 99.7 per cent, Sukkur 99.3 per cent, Naushahro Feroz 99.2 per cent, Karachi 98.1 per cent, Larkana 96.6 per cent, Ghotki 96.2 per cent, Sanghar 96 per cent, Mirpurkhas 95.1 per cent, Tharparkar 92.4 per cent and Khairpur 88 per cent.
Under the DERA programme, the minister said, a sum of Rs1,223.376 million was released by the finance and cooperation department to 13 district governments. Out of the amount, Rs1,129.372 million was utilized up to June 30 whereas 363 schemes were completed.
He stated that under the MPAs' programme, 2,563 schemes put forward by both treasury and opposition legislators had been undertaken during the year 2003-04 for which a total amount of Rs976.57 million was placed at the disposal of district governments/ departments whereas the utilization was Rs867.137 million.
As regards the Foreign Project Assistance, he said, a total amount of Rs2.431 billion was allocated for 12 projects and the departments utilized Rs1.580 billion. During the year 2003-04, about 325 schemes costing Rs5,597 million were approved by the PDWP, the minister said.
Speaking about the ADP 2004-05, Mr Bukhari pointed out that its size was Rs18 billion out of which Rs12.342 billion was earmarked for province-based schemes and the remaining Rs5.658 billion for district government schemes.
He explained that the 'allocative strategy' was adopted for the ADP 2004-05, and said that the schemes in an advanced stage of completion would be completed first. It has been planned to complete 1,090 schemes by next budget.
Adequate funds are provided for the Foreign Aided Projects so that the commitments made with donors could be fulfilled and the foreign projects assistance (FPA) absorbed effectively.
The planning minister pointed out that funds had been also been allocated for special packages for Karachi and Hyderabad, as well as for those meant for rural areas.
He said that allocation for ongoing schemes stood at Rs10.399 billion whereas it was Rs7.601 billion for new schemes. The minister said that the rupee component for Foreign Aided Project was Rs1.678 billion in the current fiscal for the utilization of Rs2.41 billion Foreign Project Assistance.
He said the scrutiny of progress reports indicated that the FAPs were moving very slow and this needed special attention of the concerned ADs/project directors. -APP