ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary commission tasked to oversee the implementation of the 18th constitutional amendment on Wednesday formed a subcommittee to look into the financial implications of the proposed devolution of several ministries and divisions from federal to provincial governments.
At least two dozen departments, including some key ministries, are set to come under the proposed devolution plan when the Concurrent List in the 1973 Constitution is abolished under new arrangements some time next year.
Presided over by its Chairman Senator Raza Rabbani, a meeting of the commission decided to form the subcommittee to see how the plan would impact the working of federal as well as provincial governments.
Former finance minister Ishaq Dar of the PML-N would be leading the committee. Dar, who is the deputy chairman of the commission, is thought to be an economic expert.
Three federal ministers — Syed Naveed Qamar, Dr Farooq Sattar and Rehmatullah Kakar — will be the members of the panel to formulate policy proposals.
The move came amid calls by the provinces to transfer the assets of the ministries to be devolved to them when the Concurrent List is abolished by end June 2011, a tentative schedule the commission has already announced.
Though no timeframe was given to the subcommittee to furnish its report, a member said the whole process might take one or two weeks.
The commission also asked the Establishment Division to prepare policy proposals with regard to financial implications of the federal manpower (employees), which would be displaced as a consequence of the transfer of a number of government ministries or departments to the provinces.
It further directed to take into consideration all the judgments of the Supreme Court with regard to the federal services matters in the past.
Rabbani said the subcommittee has also been tasked to prepare formula for the sharing of assets and liabilities along with financial implications when the question of transferring of various institutions from centre to provinces comes up.
The commission in its meeting that will continue into Thursday also reviewed the rules of business of various ministries that are be affected by the abolition of the Concurrent List.
Sources told The Express Tribune that so far the commission has taken decision on the transfer of 17 federal ministries or departments to the provinces. But decisions on 11 others are still pending and may be taken either way in coming meetings.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 8th, 2010.
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