Delay in the release of funds by the Accountant General of Pakistan Revenue (AGPR) for development schemes under the Tameer-e-Watan programme irked the national assembly standing committee on local government as it summoned top AGPR officials for its next meeting to sort out the matter. The committee, which met here on Friday with MNA Maulana Hamidul Haq Haqqani in the chair, however, did not fix any date for its next meeting for which it had decided to summoned the Auditor General of Pakistan.

It was brought into the notice of the committee that after according necessary approvals by ministries of finance and local government, the AGPR was now delaying the release of funds to executing agencies, which was hindering execution of these schemes.

The committee unanimously resolved to ask Prime Minster Shaukat Aziz to enhance the grant provided to parliamentarians for development schemes in their respective constituencies from Rs 5 million to Rs 10 million.

The committee also directed the ministry secretary to take up the issue of vacation of local government institute building in Karachi, presently under illegal occupation of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

On the onset, the committee expressed its sympathies with families hit by recent rains and floods throughout the country and called upon the government to extend maximum financial aid for the rehabilitation of victims.

Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Omar Ayub Khan, MNAs Samina Kahild Ghurki, Shahzadi Umerzadi Tiwana, Khurrum Munawer Munj attended the meeting.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2005