PM forms cabinet committee on PSDP projects

Shehbaz orders third-party evaluation of all major national development projects

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday formed a cabinet committee under chairmanship of the planning minister on the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) and made a third-party evaluation of all major national development projects mandatory.

He stressed the need for cooperation between the federation and the provinces for the revival of the economy, and directed the federal ministers to seek permanent resolution to the financial, economic and other issues of Sindh.

According to a press release issued by the Prime Minister Office Media Wing, Shehbaz chaired a meeting on the matters related to the Planning Ministry and Public Private Partnership Authority (PPPA). During the meeting, he ordered all the ministries to submit proposals for public-private partnership projects.

Shehbaz directed for initiating such PSDP projects that could ensure sustainable development in the country. He also underlined the significance of third-part validation of all the mega national development projects.

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The prime minister, according to the press release, observed that increase in the revenue collection would make enough funds available for development projects. He stressed the need for harmonising the federal PSDP and the provincial annual development programmes.

For that, the prime minister directed for constituting a cabinet committee led by the planning minister on the development budget and the PSDP. The committee would furnish mechanism for the PSDP programmes through short-, medium- and long-term proposals.

The meeting was attended by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Cheema, Petroleum Minister Musadik Malik, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Jehanzeb Khan, and others.

Shehbaz also held a separate meeting with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, which was attended by federal ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Ahad Cheema, Sardar Awais Khan Leghari and others, to discuss the issues regarding development of Sindh.

The prime minister directed for removal of issues and concerns of the Sindh government and expediting work on the ongoing federally-funded uplift projects in the province. He instructed the federal ministers to seek permanent resolution to the financial, economic and other issues of Sindh.

For the revival of economy, the prime minister told the meeting, cooperation among the federation and the provinces was imperative. He asked the ministries to include all the provinces in the consultations process for the preparation of the upcoming development budget.

(WITH INPUT FROM APP)