Issuing a press release, the Finance Ministry said that there was no delay or disturbance in issuing money by the Treasury to the relevant government institutions for the development projects carried out in 2016.

The normal procedure is settling these bills during the year, but the bills which are remaining are settled during the first quarter of the following year. Accordingly, the Treasury has released Rs.10 billion to the relevant Provincial Councils and Line Ministries by the third week of January this year.

Establishing the transparency regarding the delayed payments of 2016, the Cabinet of Ministers has also been informed about the remaining payments at the beginning of January.

In addition to the released Rs.10 billion, the Treasury is taking steps to release the balance money as well, it said.

Ministry of Education under its ‘The Nearest School is the Best School’ initiative has granted Rs.5, 933 million in 2016 to the Provincial Councils and more Rs.2, 600 million was released to the ministry this year to settle the remaining bills.