First 10 months of FY24: Sindh depts spend only 34pc development, 63pc non-development budget

KARACHI: The Sindh government’s different departments could spend only 34 per cent of the development budget in 10 months of the current financial year 2023-24, but spent 63pc of the non-development budget, almost double the development budget.

As per the official documents of the Sindh Finance Department, Rs3.85 trillion were allocated for the development projects, of which Rs3.36 billion were included in the form of capital and Rs49.8 billion in the form of revenue for 5,256 development schemes, out of which 3,311 remained incomplete, while 1,945 were new schemes.

In 10 months of the current financial year, Rs2.14 billion were issued, of which Rs2.1 billion were included in the form of capital and Rs12.84 billion of Rs84 billion in the form of revenue, out of which only Rs1.67 billion were spent, which was 34pc of the total amount.

On the other hand, during the same period, it was revealed that 63pc of the non-development budget had been spent. Rs15.27 trillion was sanctioned for non-development expanses of the Sindh government, out of which Rs12.74 trillion were released and Rs10.75 trillion were spent, Rs5.39 trillion were allocated for salaries of employees, out of which Rs4.31 trillion were spent, on the appointment of consultants Rs250 million were spent; under the head of pension, Rs2.16 trillion were sanctioned, out of which Rs1.98 trillion were spent; under the head of communication, traveling and daily allowances (TADA), utility bills, telephone, gas, water bills, publicity, medicines, petrol, stationery, Rs1.99 trillion were sanctioned, out of which Rs1.19 trillion were spent; for different local government departments for octroi, the district taxes and grants to local bodies, Rs88 billion were sanctioned, out of which Rs83.76 billion were spent on subsidy on wheat, SIUT, NIC. Rs3.14 trillion were spent; Rs3.14 trillion were spent on subsidy on wheat, waived loans, advance payments, Gambat Institute of Medical Science (GIMS) and Indus Hospital were sanctioned budget, out of which Rs1.72 trillion were spent.

Also, over Rs28.98 billion were allocated for salaries of Sindh Education Foundation (SEF) and house job doctors, out of which Rs18.9 billion were spent; Rs48.77 billion were sanctioned for interest of various loans, out of which Rs17.71 billion were spent, Rs42 billion were spent for purchase of new items, vehicles, weapons, armoured vehicles, ambulances, dialysis machines and Rs42 billion for purchase of hospital items, Rs48.88 billion were allocated, out of which Rs27.5 billion were spent.

The total non-salary budget is Rs7.718 trillion, out of which Rs4.465 trillion were allocated. The current revenue expenditure is over Rs15.275 trillion, out of which over Rs10.754 trillion were spent. The provincial departments, in the two remaining months, would have to spend over Rs52.108 billion.