kABUL (Pajhwok): Some Wolesi Jirga members on Monday claimed the Ministry of Finance has diverted funds from some development projects to meet the presidential election costs, a claim rejected by the ministry.
The government last week sent a draft budget of half year, which included the budget for the September 28 election, to the lower house for approval.
Naheed Farid, a lawmaker from Herat province, said the house should not approve the half-year draft budget.
“The government has cut funds from uplift projects which included construction of schools, publication of books and teachers salaries and allocated them for the election expenditure. According to the Education Ministry a larger part of the election funds is drawn from the education projects,” she said.
Abdul Qayyoum Sajadi, a lawmaker from Ghazni province, said the funds of around 100 uplift projects of public welfare had been diverted to the conduct of elections.
Ghulam Farooq Majroh, another lawmaker, said the government had cut funds from 154 projects approved in this year budget and allocated them for election expenditures.
He said this happened at a time when no authority held the right to transfer funds from one project to another.
Some other lawmakers held similar views and added the budget of half-year should be scrutinized carefully.
Qazi Nazir Ahmad Hanafi, a lawmaker from Heart province, said it would be a huge shame if lawmakers approved the draft budget and turn their eyes away from government illegal activities.
But Shamroz Khan Masjidi, spokesman for the MoF, said no project had been removed from the budget.
He said the country’s revenue surged in the past six months and funds of no development or welfare projects had been slashed.
Nh/ma
