Restructuring of departments: CADD faces dissolution
FDE, hospitals among 22 depts handed over to health, education ministries .
The committee was formed by the previous government to oversee the restructuring and re-organisation of public sector bodies. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
After a rollercoaster ride, a cabinet panel on Friday decided to abolish the Capital Administration and Development Division and redistribute the subjects previously under its control to two ministries.
In a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Restructuring (CCOR), ministers and federal secretaries approved the decision, subject to a green light from the prime minister and the Council of Common Interests (CCI).
The committee was formed by the previous government to oversee the restructuring and re-organisation of public sector bodies.
The meeting that was chaired by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar at the Ministry of Finance discussed issues relating to the cabinet, aviation, defence production, economic and foreign affairs divisions.
This is not the first time that CADD’s abolition has been approved. Similar proposals were forwarded in 2011 and 2013, during the PPP government, but were rejected by former prime ministers Yousaf Raza Gillani and Raja Pervaiz Ashraf.
Managerial mess
After devolution under the 18th Amendment, the federal government had set up CADD as a ministry, but later turned it into a division headed by a state minster.
Initially, 22 departments, previously attached with the ministries of education, culture, special education, youth affairs and tourism were placed under the division.
Later, other departments including Social Welfare and Child Welfare Development, the Federal Government Polytechnic Institute of Women, the departments of libraries, archaeology and museums, population, Zakat and Ushr, the training and education and rehabilitation of disabled and charitable endowment for federal area and other departments were also brought into its fold.
With the passage of time, some departments working under CADD performed poorly and were moved to other ministries and divisions.
Notably, the most important subjects - the Federal Directorate of Education, Polyclinic and Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) - performed poorly, forcing the government to review the organisational structure.
Initially, the ministry of federal education and professional training had requested the prime minister to “bring related subjects under one umbrella.” In response the prime minister formed a sub-committee headed by Ahsan Iqbal to look into education and health issues.
Decisions
According to an official privy to the Friday meeting, said the sub-committee recommendations included moving all 22 departments attached to CADD.
“PIMS, Polyclinic, National Institute of Rehabilitation and Medicine and some other related subjects will go to Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (NHSRC),” said the official.
Minister of State for Federal Education and Professional Training Saira Afzal Tarar said that the handover of departments will help improve service delivery and interdepartmental transfers, which had become a challenge, especially for doctors, she added.
An official told The Express Tribune on condition of anonymity that during the discussion on abolishing CADD, not a single official or their minister was asked for an opinion.
The committee also approved a national sports authority to increase interaction with international sports institutions, and a national tourism authority for the same purpose.
Other departments including the Inter-Board Committee of Chairperson; Pakistan Academy of Letters; Pakistan’s relationship with UNESCO; Department of Libraries; Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design; FDE; FGPIW; National Institute of Science and Technical Education, Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority, National Book Foundation; Federal College of Education; Pakistan Chairs Abroad; National College of Arts, Lahore and Rawalpindi will go to Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training.
The Federal Government Tuberculosis Centre Rawalpindi; Federal Dental and Medical College, National Health Information Centre; Directorate General of Special Education; dealings and agreements with countries and international organisations in the fields of health, drugs and medical facilities abroad and Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Medical University, among others will be transferred to health ministry.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 28th, 2015.
After a rollercoaster ride, a cabinet panel on Friday decided to abolish the Capital Administration and Development Division and redistribute the subjects previously under its control to two ministries.
In a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Restructuring (CCOR), ministers and federal secretaries approved the decision, subject to a green light from the prime minister and the Council of Common Interests (CCI).
The committee was formed by the previous government to oversee the restructuring and re-organisation of public sector bodies.
The meeting that was chaired by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar at the Ministry of Finance discussed issues relating to the cabinet, aviation, defence production, economic and foreign affairs divisions.
This is not the first time that CADD’s abolition has been approved. Similar proposals were forwarded in 2011 and 2013, during the PPP government, but were rejected by former prime ministers Yousaf Raza Gillani and Raja Pervaiz Ashraf.
Managerial mess
After devolution under the 18th Amendment, the federal government had set up CADD as a ministry, but later turned it into a division headed by a state minster.
Initially, 22 departments, previously attached with the ministries of education, culture, special education, youth affairs and tourism were placed under the division.
Later, other departments including Social Welfare and Child Welfare Development, the Federal Government Polytechnic Institute of Women, the departments of libraries, archaeology and museums, population, Zakat and Ushr, the training and education and rehabilitation of disabled and charitable endowment for federal area and other departments were also brought into its fold.
With the passage of time, some departments working under CADD performed poorly and were moved to other ministries and divisions.
Notably, the most important subjects - the Federal Directorate of Education, Polyclinic and Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) - performed poorly, forcing the government to review the organisational structure.
Initially, the ministry of federal education and professional training had requested the prime minister to “bring related subjects under one umbrella.” In response the prime minister formed a sub-committee headed by Ahsan Iqbal to look into education and health issues.
Decisions
According to an official privy to the Friday meeting, said the sub-committee recommendations included moving all 22 departments attached to CADD.
“PIMS, Polyclinic, National Institute of Rehabilitation and Medicine and some other related subjects will go to Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (NHSRC),” said the official.
Minister of State for Federal Education and Professional Training Saira Afzal Tarar said that the handover of departments will help improve service delivery and interdepartmental transfers, which had become a challenge, especially for doctors, she added.
An official told The Express Tribune on condition of anonymity that during the discussion on abolishing CADD, not a single official or their minister was asked for an opinion.
The committee also approved a national sports authority to increase interaction with international sports institutions, and a national tourism authority for the same purpose.
Other departments including the Inter-Board Committee of Chairperson; Pakistan Academy of Letters; Pakistan’s relationship with UNESCO; Department of Libraries; Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design; FDE; FGPIW; National Institute of Science and Technical Education, Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority, National Book Foundation; Federal College of Education; Pakistan Chairs Abroad; National College of Arts, Lahore and Rawalpindi will go to Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training.
The Federal Government Tuberculosis Centre Rawalpindi; Federal Dental and Medical College, National Health Information Centre; Directorate General of Special Education; dealings and agreements with countries and international organisations in the fields of health, drugs and medical facilities abroad and Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Medical University, among others will be transferred to health ministry.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 28th, 2015.