960418

13000 Sindh schemes

bungled because

of corruption

SHAHID IQBAL

KARACHI: At least 13,000 development schemes worth Rs 2 billion have suffered severely in Sindh because of corruption and political influence, disclosed a report prepared for the Planning Commission.

The Planning Commission had asked all provincial governments to submit detailed reports about the status of development schemes and mode of expenditure.

The Sindh report has pointed out that in most of the cases the funds were misused, not released or were still awaited. Political interference is making it worst.

"At times undue political interference has led to injustice not only heart burning to the affected but also adversely affecting the service delivery," said the report. The report deals with the basic health facilities, water supply and drainage system, primary schools and road construction. All of these could not be completed even 20 percent mostly because of corruption.

"Corruption has assumed enormous proportions and cannot be fought without the assistance of the government and community," suggested the report.

The report emphasized the accountability of the responsible who were involved in misuse of funds. In many cases funds were released but the concerned department did not receive it.

"True accountability, transparency in formulation and implementation of government policies can help in reducing the degree of corruption," the report added.

The officials told Business Recorder that main cause of corruption was that three main development schemes had been intermixed. Annual Development Programme, Peoples Works Programme and Social Action Programme for which funds are being provided by the World Bank and other international donors. "Mismanagement of these funds has paved the way for the corruption and the utilization of funds has dropped to a serious level of only 20 percent," said a high official in Sindh government.

The report also disclosed that 75 percent of health outlets were providing family planning services. "In Sindh all the health facilities have been declared outlets for family planning services," said the report.

"Underutilization of funds, staff absenteeism, irregular supply of medicines, shortage of female staff are the chronic problems being faced in health sector," said the report.

The report also pointed out that lack of coordination between the federal and provincial governments was also causing mismanagement of funds. Moreover, ineffective local bodies were also a hurdle in the way of implementation of policies. "Lack of coordination between provincial and federal government needs to be overcome. Areas of operation of local bodies and other government agencies should clearly avoid overlapping," the report suggested. There appears to exist a sort of rivalry between the two.

The provincial government is already facing serious shortage of funds. Its employees are not getting their monthly salaries properly. The local government is contributing billions of rupees annually for the maintenance of law and order situation in the province. It has an overdraft of about Rs 6 billion from the State Bank. The provincial government has asked for additional help from the federal government to carry on the administrative matters. The federal government has shown its intention to provide extra help to the province.

"We still need to come out from the dire consequences of corruption and mismanagement. Funds are nor being used properly with transparency. The help of federal government cannot benefit the province unless the corruption is removed," said an official.