KANDAHAR (Pajhwok): Shortage of development budget left negative impact on development activities in southern Kandahar province, an official said Monday.
Kandahar economy director, Mohammad Rahim Rahimi, said $ 78 million development budget was allocated for the province in 2013. Of them, $ 55 million was discretionary budget and $ 23 million non-discretionary.
In an exclusive interview with Pajhwok Afghan News, he said: “$55 million budget was to be already used by the government in Kandahar, while $ 23 million is a budget which should be spent by donor agencies.”
He complained only $1.5 million of the allocated fund was given to them in a time when the financial year was about to be ended.
Pointing to the fund being used by donors, Rahimi said contract of development schemes was inked by donors in Kabul but they could not be held accountable in this connection.
Untimely release of budget to Kandahar was nothing but the inefficiency of the proper capacity to spend the money.
Javed Faisal, the governor’s spokesman, said as compared to the past, good governance, security and development activities were improved in Kandahar. But he confirmed some problems in the areas, which he linked to the central administration in Kabul.
He said 70 percent vacant positions in the province were filled by employees of various departments, while previously many districts being run by district and police chiefs alone.
But Faisal said Maroof, Registan, Mianshin, Ghorak and Khorabak and districts were facing shortage of buildings for district headquarters.
“We pledged of development budget to be spent in districts keeping in view the development budget, but we cannot fulfill our promises due to the poor cooperation of central government,” he added.
Pointing to problems confronted by education sectors, the gubernatorial spokesman said timely release of the fund could help reduce the ratio of growing unemployment as well.
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