Finance Bolan
District Accounts and Development Funds
District Accounts.
The intention was to include in this District Profile a comprehensive overview of the flows of public money within and in and out of each district. For none of the 26 districts such an overview could be assembled in a satisfactory manner. For some more information could be gathered than for others, but a real comprehensive overview was nowhere possible given the time constraints of the research. In paragraph 4.6. some information can be found on the responsibilities of the various institutions with regard to revenue collection but not on the actual amounts collected.
One conclusion is valid for all the districts: the funds collected at district level are by no means enough to undertake any substantial development activity. For funding of further social and economic development the district is dependent on finances from outside the district, especially from the provincial government (see below). Recurrent costs can be met to some extent, varying for each of the districts, out of collection of revenue at district level. But outside support is also needed in this respect.
Development Funds.
As stated above, Bolan district, like all the other ones in Balochistan, is dependent on funds from outside sources for almost all of the development activities. This implies that, given the present structure, a large part of the decision making process on the development in the district takes place outside the district.
The largest source for development is the provincial Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP). For each fiscal year a PSDP is compiled by the Planning and Development Department and approved by the Provincial Assembly. The PSDP is essentially financed out of the development budget of the province and out of contributions of donor agencies.
The revised PSDP for the financial year 1995-96 shows allocations for four projects for a total amount of Rs. 21.924 million, without any foreign assistance component. The PSDP for the following year, 1996-97, reflects a sharp decrease to a total allocation of Rs. 4.4 million for two projects, again without a foreign component.
The PSDP for the current financial year, 1997-98, gives a total allocation for Bolan district of Rs. 44.620 million, including foreign assistance of Rs. 14.692. The amount is earmarked for 21 development schemes. The irrigation sector is by far the biggest recipient with an allocation of Rs. 31.507 million (70.6 %). The combined SAP sectors would receive Rs. 6.178 million (13.8 %).
The PSDP has most probably to be reduced, because the government cannot avail of the required funds. The above mentioned allocations have therefore to be treated with some caution.