WASIM IQBAL
ISLAMABAD: Cabinet Division would issue directives to line ministries to release within three days approximately Rs 10 billion development funds to parliamentarians and notables which were stopped in April 2013 by Supreme Court of Pakistan in response to a suo motu case. National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) was informed on Wednesday.
Following the directives of the apex court, Additional Secretary Cabinet, Khusro Pervaiz Khan said the Prime Minister approved amendments in rules for allocation of funds to parliamentarians under People’s Works Programme I and II. “Despite Prime Minister’s directives for the release of development funds thrice these are not yet released,” he added. Member Committee Raja Muhammad Javed Ikhlas pointed out that it had been one and half years that Cabinet has stopped releasing the funds to three executing agencies- SNGPL, PWD and IESCO - to complete the development schemes proposed by parliamentarians.
Raja Javed further told media persons that the chief justice had taken a notice on a note of SC Registrar based on a media report which said that Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, ten days after having completed his tenure, doled out billions of rupees in the form of development funds. The Supreme Court ordered halting development funds for schemes of over Rs42 billon approved by the then prime minister to parliamentarians and notables. The Additional Secretary Cabinet explained to the committee that in October 2013, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif issued guidelines for the release of funds for development schemes suggested by parliamentarians.
He said funds would be released directly to executing agencies and line ministries would play the role of oversight as far as these projects are concerned. He further said currently Cabinet Division has established a separate cell which is in the process of verifying the accounts of People’s Works Programme I and II. They are carrying out the audit of ‘complete’ and ‘on-going’ development schemes under the programmes. He further said five to six departments handed over the details of their projects.
While examining the appropriation accounts for year 2009-10 and 2010-11 PAC also showed its dissatisfaction over the delay in surrendering the unutilized funds before May 15 by Environment and Climate Division. The committee directed the division to come again with relevant records.
Earlier, Secretary Environment informed the committee that environment and forest was no more a federal subject. Talking about the schemes to grow forests, he said that the World Bank has provided a seed money of $3.8 million to prepare a national strategy to save forests. The bank also showed its readiness to provide further funds however, provincial governments have shown no interest.
