Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Thursday, March 28th, 2024

Govt. Fails to Spend or Not Willing to Spend?

According to reports, in the previous fiscal year, the government of Afghanistan has been able to disburse $937 million or 40 percent of the total $2.3 billion developments funds it had on hand and in control. Therefore, in the current FY budget, the development budget has been cut by 40 percent. With this low budget execution rate, the government of Afghanistan complains of having control over lesser portion (20 percent) of the total funds donated, albeit this concern was addressed in the London Conference on Afghanistan in January 2010. Based on the commitments made in the conference, 50 percent of donor funds would be channeled through the system of Afghan government by early 2012, provided implementation rate is increased and corruption is controlled.

The government maintains that the biggest hurdle to bettering execution rate is the deteriorated security situation. But most of the development funds go to the most insecure provinces of Afghanistan where, at current, numerous development projects are underway. In the last decade, the concentration of government and its national backers have been on these provinces. Unlike that, the secure provinces, such as those in the center of Afghanistan, have been kept deprived and very little or no development is observable.

In Bamyan, for instances, no development work has taken place throughout the last decade. Although it deserves the right of being on the priority list of government, the highways connecting Bamyan to center and other provinces have remained rough and tough. The popular, Band-e-Amir in Bamyan which has given the status of first national park of Afghanistan has not gained any attention. A month ago the people of Bamyan protesting the lack of attention from government acclaimed a donkey for its service. They also put a big lantern at a city roundabout for being deprived of electricity in this modern age.

Like Bamyan, there are so many other provinces that have remained out of government and international attention, despite being the most peaceful regions. If insecurity is the major cause of low execution rates of development projects, why does not the government shift them to secure provinces of Afghanistan?