KARACHI: The Local Government Department Sindh has reiterated its stance to spend the allocated funds on ongoing development projects in Sindh to maximum level under Rs 16 billion Annual Development Schemes 2016-2017 fiscal year. It is a prescribed formula that 80 percent of development funds will be spent on ongoing schemes while 20 percent of the amount is allocated for the new schemes, coming during every fiscal period. The chunk of Karachi in the development funds stands 60 percent and the remaining funds are allocated for cities and towns in parts of Sindh, Niaz Soomro LGD Special Secretary on Development informed. A meeting of the concerned officials with Jam Khan Shoro, Sindh Minister Local Government in chair has reviewed the progress of the ongoing development projects on newly inducted development schemes. In the last two fiscal years, there has been no increase in the outlay of Rs 16 billion in the budget while the Department has tried to utilize deferred funds for next coming development projects. Sindh government following giving approval of funds allocates share of the civic bodies under provincial and district annual development programmes. The 29 districts, 114 Talukas, 1,130 Union Committee and 7 development authorities in Sindh are the beneficiaries of these annual development funds according to their size of the projects. Soomro while underlining the facts opined that the development project schemes sent by Karachi Development Authority amounting to Rs 30 billion, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) for Rs 25 billion, Karachi Water and Sewerage Board for Rs 9 billion, District Council Karachi and six District Municipal Corporation of Rs 10 billion are not viable and would not be entertained as development funds are allocated keeping in view the annual development amount in every fiscal year. Soomro was of the view that at the end of 2016-2017 fiscal year, LGD would hopefully consume around 80 percent of the total outlay of Rs 16 billion. He informed that nearly Rs 8 billion would be utilised on on-going Rs 10 billion development projects in Karachi under Mega Projects Programme. He said new development schemes would be selected on merit, keeping in view of their importance and viability. New development schemes on merit have been put before Sindh Local Government Minister and in this connection expert opinion would be sought from concerned authorities in case of any lacuna in the schemes. Officials of Engineering Department KMC have claimed that entity’s share in Provincial ADP stands around Rs 16 billion. This includes Rs 10 billion for mega development projects, Rs 4 billion for District ADP Projects and Around Rs 1.5 to Rs 2 billion for health, sports and culture schemes. Under our demand of Rs 25 billion for new development schemes in next three years, the entity has asked Sindh government to allocate Rs 9 billion in the next coming financial year 2017-18, they informed. They further said that entity has also asked to provide Rs 4 billion for the completion of on-going development schemes.