Daily Times

KARACHI: The funds allocated from Sindh Budget for the fiscal year 2015-16 for the renovation of Clifton driving licence branch may lapse due to their non-utilisation within stipulated period of time, official sources said on Wednesday.

The sources said that there is a dire need to improve the capacity of Karachi Driving Licence Department (KDLD) to cater to the large number of applicants applying for learner licences in the provincial metropolis, former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ghulam Hyder Jamali could not utilise funds on the renovation of Clifton Driving licence branch.

The sources informed, “Sindh IGP AD khawaja has now formed a procurement committee to utilise these funds on the renovation of Clifton Driving licence branch before the announcement of new budget for the fiscal year 2016-17 which is to be announced in June”.

The sources said, “IG AD khawaja has also directed the committee to expedite the renovation work including extending its sitting area for visitors, proper seating in conference hall and increasing capacity of the branch”.

An official said that the committee headed by DIG Traffic of Karachi has to decide how to utilise these funds on the driving licence branch and how to finalise the proposal and other legal requirements before announcement of the upcoming provincial budget, so that these funds do not lapse.

In Sindh, there are several examples of bureaucratic negligence that show how they have wasted public funds. In every financial year, a large number of development schemes could not be completed only because of lack of Sindh government’s interest in the development projects.

There is dire need to utilise funds on Karachi driving licence branch in order to improve its capacity as department is unable to issue learner licences to a large number of new applicants applying for licences as there are only three branches in the city including Clifton driving licence branch, Korangi driving licence branch and Nazimabad driving licence branch.