Fate of 245 uplift schemes hangs in the balance

Provincial cabinet session directs sub-committee to decide whether to complete these projects or not

QUETTA: At a time when Balochistan needs all the help it can get to overcome backwardness, the fate of 245 ongoing development projects in the province under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2018-19 hangs in the balance.

A provincial cabinet session, chaired by Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan, on Tuesday decided to present these schemes before a sub-committee of the cabinet to determine whether to continue them or not and issued directives to stop release of funds.



“The provincial cabinet and bureaucracy need to work together as a team and each member has to fulfil his/her responsibilities,” said CM Kamal while chairing the meeting at the CM Secretariat. “All departments have been empowered to run their administrative affairs. They will be held accountable if any negligence is found.”

Reviewing other development projects under the PSDP 2018-19, the cabinet gave directives to the planning and development department to finalise the schemes keeping in view the government criteria.
Planning and Development Additional Chief Secretary Sajjad Ahmed Bhutta apprised the session of the new development projects in the annual PSDP following the orders of the Balochistan High Court.



Various suggestions on allocation of funds for development projects were also reviewed.

On under-investigation development projects and prolonged ones, the cabinet directed the sub-committee to submit a list of development projects lingering on for more than 10 years during the next session.
It also suspended allocation of funds for under-investigation development schemes.

The cabinet has directed all departments to submit the layout and PC-1 of new development schemes with the finance and P&D departments after which the cabinet would present them in the provincial assembly for final approval.



The cabinet also directed the P&D department to expunge the Rs40 billion Pat Feeder Canal project for water supply to the provincial capital from the PSDP.

The cabinet also approved direct release of funds to deputy district officers for various development projects to speed up the pace of construction on temporary basis, announcing that after successful results of this test, the practice would continue on permanent basis.

“The provincial government will take strict action against weak performers without any hesitation, while the competent officers will be rewarded as the provincial government seeks to build a positive image through good governance and development,” said CM Kamal, vowing that compromising on performance of the provincial government would not be tolerated.

During this sixth cabinet session and the first of 2019, the provincial government directed the P&D department to start preparing development programme for 2019-20.
The cabinet also directed all departments to complete the development projects within the given time period.