Sindh talked the development talk - but will it walk the walk?

KARACHI -- The Sindh government might claim to be breaking all past records of development in the province - but its own official figures are in dispute with reality.

On the one hand, according to the reports for the last two quarters of the 2019-2020 fiscal year, the funds allocated for many development schemes, whether they pertain to health, education, local government, transport, wildlife, roads, irrigation or agriculture, have not been released at all.

On the other hand, though, not a single rupee has been spent out of the funds released for several development projects in the environment, climate change, coastal development and energy departments.

'In the current fiscal year, Rs281 million have been allocated for the environment, climate change and coastal development departments, but nothing has been spent in the first two quarters, from July 2019 to December 2019,' an official told The Express Tribune.

Failed projects: Sindh govt bids farewell to its futile development firm

A report available with The Express Tribune reveals that Rs8 million were earmarked for the study of environmental and health impacts of pesticides and chemical fertilisers in various districts of Sindh, including Larkana, Mirpurkhas, Jacobabad, Kashmore, Ghotki, Sukkur, Tando Allahyar and Badin. Yet no money has been spent in this regard.

The provincial government also set aside Rs10 million for awareness and educational projects for the protection of the environment and conservation of natural resources. However, none of these funds were utilised over the last two quarters, reflecting the relevant officials' lack of interest in implementing the plans.

Similarly, Rs20 million have been allocated for the development and upgradation of Sindh's environmental profile through the environmental information system. The fate of this scheme, too, hangs in the balance, with zero per cent expenditure from the funds.

Powered off

The situation is the same in the provincial energy department. According to budget books, Rs1.308 billion have been allocated for energy schemes this fiscal year. Only Rs153 million have been disbursed, though - and of that, nothing has yet been spent on the proposed schemes.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, a senior official in the provincial planning and development department explained that the Sindh Solar Energy Project had been devised to increase solar power generation by setting up solar parks in various districts, thus providing electricity...