PM urges improved inter-provincial coordination

25-member national coordination board formed to promote tourism

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday called for improved inter-provincial coordination as well as cooperation between the federation and provinces to address problems of the people through an effective strategy and coordinated policies.

Chairing a meeting, he said that the government was completing its six months in power and entering the second phase, stressing the need for better coordination between the federal and provincial governments.

The meeting was attended by Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Shah Farman, Chief Minister Mehmood Khan and several provincial ministers. Planning Minister Khusro Bakhtiar briefed the participants about the future priorities of the government.

The prime minister mentioned the difficult economic situation when the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) government took over the reign of country and emphasised the need for highlighting the steps taken so far by the government for the betterment of the country and the people.

"Masses should be aware of the facts about what kind of Pakistan and situation was left by those who were making tall claims of development. The government is continuously striving to improve the country's economic conditions," he added.

He said that he was fully cognisant of the hardships being faced by the people due to devaluation of rupee. He called for giving special importance to the agriculture sector, saying that its development would help eliminate poverty.



He also issued directives for ensuring health facilities for people with special focus on cleanliness in hospitals. He said hospital administrations should be given clear instructions that there would be no compromise on cleanliness.

The prime minister told the meeting that the establishment of a regional equalisation development fund was under consideration, under which the federal government in coordination with the provincial governments would take measures for the development of backward areas.

The planning minister informed the meeting that a road map was being formulated to utilise the true potential of tourism, while knowledge economy was also being promoted in line with the vision of the prime minister.

The meeting was also briefed by the federal and provincial ministers of Punjab and K-P about the measures taken so far in health, education, agriculture and other sectors. It was informed that recommendations for establishing seven industrial zones in Punjab had been sent to the Board of Investment.

Finance Minister Asad Umar told the meeting that the board had been directed to formulate a special economic zones framework for tourism within the next 30 days. The prime minister was told that due to the efforts of the present government, the farmers in Punjab got full rate of their sugarcane crop.



The meeting was briefed on subsidies to promote edible oilseed crops and the process of giving Sehat Insaf Card in Punjab from February 20. The process will be completed by the end of 2019. For better coordination in the areas of finance, agriculture, health and education, working groups of ministers were also constituted in the meeting.

The prime minister also chaired another meeting, attended by Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, Inter-Provincial Coordination Minister Dr Fehmida Mirza, special assistants Iftikhar Durrani and Zulfiqar Bukhari and the relevant provincial ministers.

The meeting approved the formation of a 25-member National Tourism Coordination Board (NTCB) for the promotion of tourism in the country. The board will comprise representatives from federal ministries, provincial departments and private sector tourism industry.

The decision is aimed at promoting tourism, enhancing coordination between the federation and provinces, formulating a provincial regulatory framework and promotion of tourism at the international level.

The meeting also decided to transfer Rs200 billion properties of the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) to the provinces. The PTDC will now serve as the secretariat of the NTCB.

In the meeting, special working groups were constituted on religious tourism; adventure tourism; cultural, historic and archeological tourism; trans-Himaliya jeep rally; infrastructure and facilitation; regulatory and policy reforms; and investment and tourism branding.

The prime minister was briefed on the progress achieved so far in the area of tourism. He was informed that work on the creation of 20 new tourism sites in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was in progress, including the Bala Hissar Fort in Peshawar.

Stressing the need for giving special focus to eco-tourism, the prime minister said the fort should be converted into a centre of tourist activities. "Arrangements for the commercial use of 800 rest houses in Punjab and 157 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa should be finalised," he added