Eliminating overlap: Rationalisation of Centre’s ministries underway

ISLAMABAD:

A mechanism for creating new ministries could be proposed by a committee currently reviewing the rules of business of the federal government, as Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s discretion has largely eroded the benefits which could have been gained after the transfer of 18 ministries to the provinces.

The proposal was floated recently in a meeting of the Budget Rationalisation Committee, sources said. Last June, the federal cabinet had constituted a committee to rationalise expenditures of federal ministries and divisions in order to eliminate overlapping functions of various divisions.

But the committee, headed by the deputy chairman of the Planning Commission, was notified eight months after the cabinet’s decision.

During a review of the rules of business, it was observed that the cabinet was silent on the creation of new ministries, thus the premier was using his discretion. Some of the committee members proposed to evolve a mechanism that would allow the insertion of the rules.

“These powers could be given to parliament or to a committee having broader representation”, said one of the committee members while talking to The Express Tribune. He claimed there was a feeling in the meeting that the creation of eight new divisions by Prime Minister Gilani was unnecessary.

Under the 18th Amendment of the Constitution, the federation had devolved 18 ministries to the provinces. But the premier, in a bid to accommodate his allies, created eight new divisions.

The ministry of the National Disaster Management Authority was performing functions that could easily be performed by another division. Similarly, the ministry of food security was reassigned functions of the devolved ministry of food and agriculture.

“The committee’s work is at an initial stage and nothing can be said at this moment”, Dr Nadeemul Haque told The Express Tribune. He claimed that the committee would review the rules of business, but its recommendations would be within the parameters set in the terms of reference of the committee.

Interestingly, there was another committee working on redistributing functions of the federal ministries and divisions after the 18th Amendment. This committee, headed by Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khursheed Shah, had largely restricted its work to reinstating the employees sacked during the last 15 years and accommodating the affected employees of devolved ministries.

The Budget Rationalisation Committee shot down a proposal to abolish all ministries looking after functions under the Federal Legislative List-II, except those meant for coordination between the federation and the provinces. The proposal sought to give more powers to various bodies and boards by abolishing the ministries, the sources added.

“Abolishing a ministry is not an easy task. Everything cannot be accepted,” Dr Haque commented. The committee also decided to exclude the concept of zero-budgeting, an idea where every ministry and division would have to justify its existence for seeking budgetary assistance at the start of the new fiscal year. “Zero budgeting is a long process and it cannot be done in two months,” Dr Haque warned.

The finance ministry has already published a Green Book that carries the details of each ministry’s functions and justifications for budget allocations, but it remains unable to monitor implementation.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 1^st, 2012.