Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The tall claims of the government to invest in health and education sectors are far from the practical as it has failed to achieve the targets of Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for the current financial year.

About Rs 9.77 billion earmarked for development projects of the Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) under PSDP, out of which only Rs 90 .26 million were released during fiscal year of 2015-16.

Similarly Rs 2.84 billion were allocated for health sector which also included the up-gradation of PIMS and Federal Government Services Hospital (Polyclinic). But only Rs 20.88 million were issued by the Finance Ministry. About Rs 3.686 billion were reserved for education sector but only Rs 30 million was issued.

The figures show that the government cannot achieve the targets as only one month has left in the closing of fiscal year 2015-16. The projects which are yet to be completed due to lack of funds in the current financial year including Bone Marrow Transplant Center , for which Rs 43.3 million were earmarked but Finance Ministry only issued Rs 15.19 million for the project during the ongoing financial year.

Likewise an amount of Rs 225 million was kept for Federal Breast Cancer Screening Center at PIMS but only Rs 63 million were released. Only Rs 41 million were released out of total allocation of Rs 683 million for the establishment of safe blood transfusion services. A sum of Rs 138.10 million was also released for the services on account of foreign aid, whereas for the extension of Critical Care Facilitation Center at PIMS Rs 696 million was allocated and only RS 100 million were issued. Alike Rs 139 million were allocated for the Regional Training Institute Islamabad but the government issued only 23.55 million. Most interestingly the government could not release even a single penny for the construction of Nuero Science Center Islamabad whereas Rs 1000 million were allocated.

Like health sector, the performance of government in education sector remained almost same as it released a very small portion of allocated fund under PSDP in the existing monetary year.

Government has released Rs 200 million out of total budgetary allocations of Rs 1920.6 million for FG College of Home Economics Management Science and Special Discipline.

Some Rs 75 million were allocated for FG College Bhara Kahu but government released on 9.20 million for it. Whereas only Rs 38.81 million could be issued out of total allocation of Rs 60 million for the provision of Physical Facilities at Islamabad Model School for Boys G-11.

The finance minister announced Rs 497.9 million for the construction of new schools and Rs 930.1 million for the up-gradation of high schools at Islamabad in his budget speech for 2015-16 but the government could not issue even a single penny for both the purposes. The government earmarked Rs 44.4 million for improvement of Special Education Center and Rs 53.8 million for the uplifting of Model College for Boys G-10 but only Rs 12.171 million and Rs 10.50 million were issued respectively for the projects.

A sum of Rs 59.4 million was allocated for Islamabad Model School for Girls E-9 but only Rs 8 million was issued.