Monitoring Report
The federal cabinet has approved a Rs 59 billion and 43 crore development package for the constituencies of incumbent parliamentarians ahead of the country’s next general elections.
According to sources, federal cabinet in an apparent bid to appease the members of parliament of the ruling coalition partners has approved a big package worth Rs 59 billion and 43 crore which will be spent on development schemes in the constituencies of members of parliament of the ruling coalition prior to the next general election which are expected to be held in October 2023.
The summary has been approved by the federal cabinet through circulation for ratification of release of funds for the execution of development schemes of the members of parliament, despite the funds not being available in the federal budget for the ongoing financial year, said sources.
They added that the funds are currently being arranged through the surrendered funds of Pakistan’s four provinces.
“The federal secretary for the cabinet division has granted approval to surrender the funds of provinces to the finance division,” said sources, adding,” The surrendered funds are made up of the working capital and surplus funds kept for investment by the provincial governments.”
Available documents have shown that Punjab has surrendered Rs 35 billion and 27 crore, Sindh Rs 13 billion and 70 crore, Balochistan Rs 04 billion and 89 crore and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Rs 05 billion and 57 crore.
The money is likely to be spent by parliamentarians for the execution of development schemes in their constituencies. It is relevant to note that a meeting of the federal cabinet’s economic coordination committee (ECC) held last week under the chairmanship of the finance minister considered a summary titled as “Technical Supplementary Grant Amounting to Rs 59,430.228 million in favour of Ministry of Housing & Works from PSDP SDGs Achievement Programme (SAP)” Under Demand No “ 926-FC22D05-Development Expenditure of Cabinet Division During CFY 2022-23” submitted by Housing & Works Division. The federal cabinet’s ratification was sought for the release of these funds in terms of rule 17(1)(b) of the Rules of Business, 1973.
It is pertinent to mention that the former Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government in centre led by Ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan had to some extent ignored the release of funds for the execution of development schemes in the constituencies of the members of parliament who belong to opposition parties. However, the ruling coalition government in an apparent bid to appease the voters has resolved to allocate funds for the execution of development schemes especially in the constituencies of their members of the parliament prior to the next general elections in the country.
