KABUL (SW) – The Wolesi Jirga (lower house) on Saturday vowed to summon ministers failing to utilize at least 70 per cent of the development budget.
During today’s session, Mohammad Azeem Mohsini, chairman of the financial and budget affairs committee, said a number of ministries have failed to comply with the law in this regard.
He said the Ministry of Justice has so far spent up to 66 per cent of its development budget, the Ministry of Counter-Narcotics has spent 63 per cent , the Ministry of Water and Power has spent 63 per cent , the Ministry of Telecommunication and Information Technology has spent 59 per cent , the Ministry of Information and Culture has spent 61 per cent , the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum has spent 44 per cent , the Ministry of Education has spent 34 per cent and the Ministry of Transport has spent 84 per cent of their development budgets.
According to the house’s financial and budget affairs committee, there are still AFN 49.8 billion still available in the development budget not utilized by the ministries.
Mosini said up to 30 government institutions have failed to utilize the 70 per cent of their development budgets.
However, a number of WJ members said summoning the ministers is not the solution for this issue. They said many ministers have been summoned in the past, and even impeached, but they remained on their seats.
ENDS
