Ismail Rahoo rejects allegation of Corruption on Sindh Agriculture Department
Provincial Minister of Agriculture M. Ismail Rahoo rejected allegations of corruption on the department and termed it baseless.
He said that there is no corruption in the operations to control locusts. Whereas while presenting the facts and figures of agriculture department expenses he challenged opposition to claim corruption in the affairs of department.
Ismail Rahoo added that Opposition put allegation that agriculture department did corruption of 600 Million and also claimed that 1 Billion rupees provided to the department. He stated that how the department could done corruption of 600 Million when only 330 Million provided in the year of 2019.
Moreover he informed that the department has purchased 8 single cabin vehicles of 4*2 from the amount of 2,76,44,000 and 11 Single cabin vehicles of 4*4 from the amount of 5,34,16000 and all the payments of purchased vehicles have done though pay order to Toyota Highway Motors.
Further Provincial Minister stated , 34,20,000 rupees spent on the purchase of one thousand hand spray and 300 solo sprayers purchased by paying 87,88,500 rupees.
He also told that 6,43,9,750 rupees from the budget spent for the purchased of 1,25,000 liter pesticide, 89,53,742 rupees provided to teams on behalf of TA/DA, 17,41,300 rupees disbursed on behalf of rental services, 17,62,649 rupees spent on purchase of oil & maintenance, 1,49,47,989 rupees spent on rental vehicles expenses and 196,975,920 rupees spent on the control of locusts.
Ismail Rahoo shared that after all the said expenses Sindh Agriculture department has saved 120 Million , which would spent on upcoming campaign.
He revealed that from the spent amount field teams has sprayed on the land of 6,37,000 acre. In addition he said despite of the responsibility of federal government of DPP in desert areas , 57 field teams of department continuously worked in whole year. However federal Government has provided only 8 teams.
PPP legislator said from the budget department has sprayed on the crop area of 1,22,613 acre and Sindh Government is purchasing vehicles, pesticides , sprayers and other items are the part of National Action Plan.
He added that National Acton Plan approved by Federal Government in which provinces have to provide revenue , Sindh is giving its share but federal government aircraft has not reached .
Federal Government has allocated one old aircraft on the place six new aircrafts, whereas center has also not provided 110 vehicles for desert field operations, he added.
Provincial Minister said in the current situation of emergency PTI led government has only provided six vehicles, in the first phase of National Action Plan Sindh have to give 286 Million, from the allocated amount Sindh has purchased 21 4*4 vehicles and also purchased Vehicle mounted and tractor mounted sprayer , GPS and pesticides.
He told that the said vehicles would use for the purpose of surveillance and spray. In addition he shared department had purchased only single cabin vehicles in the previous year and for Nation Action plan department has purchased double cabin vehicles.
Despite the lack of financial resources, Sindh Government is taking every step to control locusts and due to no steps from federal government Sindh government is bearing the whole burden.
He urged federal government to provide six aircraft for aerial and ground spray and provide 110 vehicles to NDMA. If the Federal Government would not take appropriate action then locusts attack would get uncontrolled.
