HYDERABAD, March 24: District Nazim Makhdoom Rafiquzzaman has called upon the Sindh government to release sugar cess development funds of Rs64 million so that development schemes could be completed on schedule.

Speaking at a meeting on Tuesday that reviewed the progress of development schemes under the sugar cess fund, he said the government had released an amount of Rs230.524 million in 2001-05 which were spent on 147 development schemes during the first and the second phase.

He said during the fiscal year 2001-02 an amount of Rs82.584 million had lapsed of which Rs40 million were restored in the year 2004-05.

He said the remaining amount of Rs42.584 million was yet to be restored.

The nazim said Rs22 million annual instalment had also not been released as yet.

He said of 147 development schemes, 114 had been completed and the work was continuing on the remaining 33 schemes.

He said there was an urgent need for the release of lapsed amount of Rs42 million and annual grant of Rs22 million.

He urged the officials concerned to ensure that the development schemes were completed on schedule.

DCO Mohammad Hussain Syed, DO roads Zafar Jatoi, EDO finance Sikandar Ali Shah and a large number of UC nazims attended the meeting.