Rs 42bn allocated for Karachi projects in Sindh budget

KARACHI: Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah, while unveiling the Rs 686 billion Sindh budget today, said a huge allocation of Rs. 42 billion has been kept for Karachi based schemes in Annual Development Program (ADP) 2014-15, ARY News reported Friday.

In his budget speech in the Sindh Assembly, the chief minister said the Sindh government was giving prime importance to Karachi in its development portfolio and a huge allocation of Rs. 42 billion has been kept for Karachi based schemes in ADP 2014-15. But this is not enough; Karachi also requires a special package from the Federal Government in the larger interest of Pakistan.

The Sindh Government has identified the areas in which such a package will need to be disbursed including building control and city development but the Federal Government has not so far enabled us to act with due resources, said Mr. Shah.

‘Federal government ignores Karachi’

Sindh chief minister said the mega projects already launched were suffering setbacks due to lack of focus by the Federal Government.

He said S-III is one of the major projects for Karachi having a cost of Rs.7.98 billion, out of which Federal Government has to contribute Rs.3.99 billion. Rs 1 billion have been allocated for S-III in this budget, while Federal Government had not kept any allocation for this project in its budget.

“Only when I strongly raised this issue with the Federal Government, they were compelled to keep an allocation of Rs.200 million for this project in their budget.

Another mega project for Karachi, K-IV has been approved by ECNEC at a cost of Rs.25.552 billion with 50% share of Government of Sindh. Rs.849 million has been allocated for this project in this budget while, as in the case of S-III, Federal Government had initially not allocated any amount for this project and on my personal indulgence, they have now allocated Rs.200 million in their budget for this project.

Through this project 260 MGD additional water will be supplied to residents of Karachi. “I strongly urge the Federal Government to review its fiscal approach to Karachi,” he appealed.