Refuting claims made by Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake that the funds allocated for Provincial Councils by the Budget 2017 have not been curtailed; Eastern Province Chief Minister Naseer Ahamed said yesterday that funds allocated to his council has been slashed by almost half.
“As far as the Eastern Provincial Council is concerned, it is documented that the Budget allocations for the year 2017 is only 46% compared to the allocation made for 2016. The reduction in allocations is similar to all Provincial Councils,” the Eastern Province Chief Minister said in a statement.
He said for the Eastern Province the allocation under th Province Specific Development Grant for the year 2016 was Rs. 3,297 million and it has been reduced to Rs 1,544 million for the year 2017.
“The Finance Minister is reported to have stated while admitting the reduction of allocation that it has been compensated well by the increase of fund allocation to Provincial Councils through Line Ministries. He is also quoted as having said that allocation of funds to Provincial Councils has been reduced because Provincial Councils have spent money for wasteful purposes such as overseas trips by Council Members. With due respect to the Finance Minister, I must emphatically note that this accusation can’t be generalized to include the Eastern Provincial Council because I am personally aware that my Council Members have not made any pleasure trips at the cost of the council and wasted its funds.”
“Since January 2015 mass media has been reporting that institutions like the Financial Crimes Investigating Division, Criminal Investigation Department, Commission for the Investigation of Bribery and Corruption and Special Presidential Commission of Inquiry investigating and instituting actions against mainly politicians and bureaucrats who held public office during the period prior to the election of incumbent President. The amount misappropriated, embezzled or robbed runs into billions. But none of these investigations involves any money allocated to Provincial Councils. It is only the money allocated to Central Government agencies that have been misappropriated, robbed or embezzled,” he said.
The statement further said the Minster’s statement is unsubstantiated and seems only a lame excuse to cut down finances to Provincial Councils and an inadvertent effort to strangle the Provincial Councils. On the contrary, the people of the East and their elected representatives have been demanding to strengthen the Provincial Council system and give full effect to the devolution of power to the peripheries as initiated under the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.