Setting up committees: CM wants mega projects to attract tourists

KARACHI:

The planning and development department’s management has been asked to come up with a comprehensive consultant committee comprising technocrats, engineers and architects to design mega development projects for the city.

These orders come straight from the chief minister (CM) of Sindh, Qaim Ali Shah, as he presided over a meeting regarding the implementation of the Annual Development Programme (ADP) 2014-15 and the disbursement of the first quarter of the current ADP held at CM House on Thursday.

The CM added that the development projects should not just be an attraction point for tourists but should also help generate income.

While addressing those present at the meeting, the CM said that out of the total the Annual Development outlay of Rs143 billion, an amount of Rs25 billion had been released for the implementation of ongoing and new development schemes. The CM directed the officers to release a substantial amount against development scheme instead of little amounts so that they could be completed within a short period of time.

Qaim Ali Shah also directed the officers to identify and implement at least one bus transit route from mass transit schemes already surveyed by JICA. He directed the officers to also co-ordinate with management and expedite the implementation on the village electricity and gas schemes.

The additional chief secretary of the development department, Muhammad Waseem, said that out of Rs 25 billion released in the first quarter, Rs10 billion will be spent on schemes pertaining to 12 administrative departments. Rs15 billion will be spent on ongoing schemes with fixed ratio priority to 418 schemes.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 8^th, 2014.