Running behind schedule: PDWP asked to meet deadlines

The provincial govt had approved a total of Rs69.28 billion for 971 development projects in the province for 2010-11.

PESHAWAR: The development projects in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa are behind schedule. In the past six months the Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) was given Rs26.49 billion but they only utilised Rs10.7 billion of it.

The provincial government had approved a total of Rs69.28 billion for 971 development projects in the province for 2010-11.

Of these, Rs9.28 billion were to be provided by foreign donors.

The total budget for projects given to PDWP were Rs43 billion.

However, the amount of funds utilised indicate that only 25 per cent of the development work is complete, with half of the year already passed.

Official sources said the pace of work was “alarming” and they have issued notices to PDWP to hold three meetings in a month.

The meetings with be presided over by Additional Chief Secretary Attaullah Khan.

He will review the progress of the development and ensure that the targets set for the current fiscal years are met.

Khan has also been asked to approve new development projects during these meetings and ensure that at least 10 per cent of the work on these newly approved projects is completed by the end of the fiscal year.

The Provincial Development Working Party, like the Central Development Working Party, is responsible for approving major development projects in the province and ensuring that they are completed on time and on budget.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 20^th, 2011.