Most of LG funds spent on salaries of politically appointed staff

BOONI: Most of the funds released to the Tehsil Council Upper Chitral during the last four years was utilized on payment of salaries to employees of the council who had been inducted on political grounds. Besides, local government employees had no powers and could only suggest development works while execution remained in the hands of the tehsil municipal administration (TMA).

These views were expressed by former Tehsil Council member from Charun Union Council Sardar Hakim while talking to ChitralToday correspondent.

The Tehsil Council Upper Chitral was released an amount of about Rs500 million by the PTI provincial government during the last four years, he said.

This amount was separate from the funds allocated for the village councils and members of the District Council, he explained. But it is not clear how and on what projects these funds were spent.

Mr Hakim said during the tenure of a previous tehsil nazim, Upper Chitral was provided just Rs2.8 million and during the tenure of another nazim the amount stood at Rs4.8 million.

People usually ask us what the PTI government did for the welfare of the people of Upper Chitral? I say these huge funds amounting to about Rs500 million are enough to show the PTI government gave priority to development of the area through the local government (LG).

He said during his tenure as member of the Tehsil Council, he spent Rs30.18 million in his constituency of Charun union council.

Mr Hakim said as some people had been appointed in the Tehsil Council even before its inception on political grounds, a big chunk of the allocated amount was spent on payment of their salaries, leaving a very meager amount for public welfare work.

He also acknowledged that like in the past the local government members had no powers as regards to financial matters and they could only suggest and propose projects and the execution of the projects was in the hand of the tehsil municipal administration (TMA).

And due to the apathy of the ATA, he added, an amount of Rs10.92 million funds could not be utilized on any project.

Reporting: Karim Ullah