KABUL (Pajhwok): Pajhwok Afghan News findings show budgetary units in eastern Nangarhar province spent only half of their budget on average during the last three years, with the unspent funds returning to Kabul.
The findings show ministers shifted the budget from Nangarhar province to other regions of the country between 1396 to 1398 solar years, fearing parliament summons over low spending.
Some projects for which budget was allocated, stayed with the National Procurement Commission (NPC) for years.
Budgets approved in three years:
Information Pajhwok Afghan News received from the Economy Department shows Nangarhar was allocated around 9.58 billion afghanis as development budget over the last three years, but half of it was not spent only.
Figures show 5,453,210,869 afghanis of the budget was spent while 4,129,823,252 afghanis could not be used.
According to the source, 2,087,824,737 afghanis were allocated for the province in 1396 solar year, of which 1,361,925,098 afghanis was spent.
The source says Nangarhar’s budget for 1397 solar year was 3,523,559,916 afghanis while 2,562,736,346 afghanis of the amount was spent until the end of that year.
Figures show 3,971,649,468 afghanis was allocated for Nangarhar province in ongoing 1398 solar year but only 1,528,549,425 afghanis of the amount is so far spent.
Projects approved
Information obtained by Pajhwok shows 348 major projects had been approved for Nangarhar province during the past three years. Of these projects, half were not complete until the end of each year.
According to information, of 123 projects approved in 1396 solar year, 73 were completed until the end of that year and 52 others remain incomplete.
A total of 140 projects were approved for Nangarhar in 1397 solar year, of which 52 were completed, 65 incomplete, 12 not even started, two were stopped after launch and nine projects delayed in the NPC.
For 1398 solar year, 85 projects were approved, of which 28 were completed, 35 incomplete, 14 not started, two stopped after launch and six delayed in the NCP.
Most or 84 of these projects were related to Education Department, of which only 27 have been completed in last three years.
Forty-six projects were related to Public Health, of which 22 were completed.
On the other hand, Breshna Sherkat or power utility was not able over the last two years to approve design and construction of power network and 40MW solar electricity project in the NCP.
Why development budget not spent and projects not completed?
Local officials in Nangarhar province said the biggest reasons why the development budget could not be spent and incomplete projects were late transfer of funds by the Ministry of Finance and delayed procurement related affairs by the National Procurement Commission.
Nangarhar Economy Director Ghulamullah Afghanyar told Pajhwok Afghan News that the delay in transfer of budget from centre to Nangarhar, lengthy process of procurement and award of contracts to incapable companies were factors behind the issues.
Education Director Haseebullah Shinwari told Pajhwok Afghan News they had completed all projects but admitted some were completed beyond schedule.
“Some projects are incomplete because their contractors left the projects in the middle and fled,” he said.
Public Health Director Naseer Ahmad Durrani said they had started monitoring all uplift projects and were trying to prevent creation of obstacles to development projects in future.
Governor Shah Mahmood Miakhel said development projects got halted in the province mainly due to differences among local elders and interferences of politicians and powerful individuals.
He said many halted projects resumed this year and the return of their funds back to Kabul prevented.
Reaction of MoF and Procurement Commission
Finance Ministry spokesperson Shamroz Khan Masjidi said they transferred budget funds of every ministry in time, adding that provincial department heads often made excuses and blamed others for late transfer of funds.
Pajhwok tried to establish a contact with Procurement Commission Public Relations Officer Syed Fateh Mohammad about projects pending with the National Procurement Commission but he declined to respond.
Javed Sapi, a member of the Wolesi Jirga Finance Commission, said that sometimes annual budget was delayed for a month due to lawmakers’ debates for its approval.
He acknowledged this year budget was approved 15 days late and the reason was internal problems in Parliament.
Timely approval of budget means timely completion of projects
Economic affairs experts believe if the Wolesi Jirga approves budget drafts in time, the Ministry of Finance would dispatch funds in time to the ministries and provinces which would help complete projects on schedule.
Nangarhar University teacher Mohammad Bashir Doudyal said the finance ministry should formulate the budget in time and dispatch it to the parliament for approval and subsequently send it to the president for signature so that funds were used in a timely manner.
Mds/nh/ma
Views: 0