Province 1 Financial Affairs and Planning Minister Indra Angbo said there was no capital expenditure in the province in the first quarter of the current fiscal year due to lack of infrastructure building.

Speaking to media persons in Damak on Tuesday, Minister Angbo said the provincial government has already formed a budget implementation unit to increase the expenditure in next quarter. “Criticising the provincial government for not utilising the budget makes no sense. There is no unit to implement the budget,” said Minister Angbo.

He the provincial government will work to increase the capital spending in the next quarter and has formed Project Implementation Mechanism for the implementation of the budget and a separate mechanism for the Social Development Ministry.

Minister Angbo said they have not been able to expedite provincial roads construction due to lack of clear policies while they were handed over by the federal government. He said they will raise this issue during the meeting between federal government, chief ministers and financial affairs and planning ministers later this month.

Province 1 government has announced a budget of Rs 35.936 billion of which Rs 18.509 billion has been allocated for capital spending but there has been no capital spending in the first four months.