The National Assembly Standing Committee on Industries and Production (MoI&P) Friday was sensitized about worst performance of Engineering Development Board (EDB), headed by a general manager who has been given the charge of acting CEO.
Presided over by its Chairman Asad Umar, the committee was informed that the EDB Board had recommended conversion of EDB into Engineering Development Authority of Pakistan (EDAP) as successor organization but no progress has been witnessed on this recommendation.
One of the board members, Mian Sohail submitted a fact sheet in writing, saying that he wrote three letters to the EDB for the last two months which were not answered. He said the deterioration at EDB is of catastrophic proportion, adding that an experienced GM of 20+ years experience who crafted the National Engineering Export Drive was "shunted" out and forced to opt for early retirement. He said secretary to board must be a GM but a deputy GM was nominated for the post even when three GMs were available. He further stated that acting CEO could only be appointed for a limited period... not for nearly one year as is seen in present circumstances. According to him, the budget exercise which should have been concluded in January 2018 was so delayed that in fact budget proposals landed at FBR on April 13, 2018 when FBR has already done its work. "This was being predicted by me in January 2018 and the result is what was feared," he added.
He recommended that incumbent acting CEO should be removed immediately as rules do not allow such appointee to work on extended periods.
He recommended that insurance guarantee should be issued by EDB under article 5 of SRO 827/1/2001 as approved by EDB Board. The chairman standing committee directed the officials of Ministry of Industry to conduct an exercise and prepare an assessment report about which departments/organizations must remain with it as, according to him, most of the organizations should be run by only CEO instead of a number of CEOs.
The progress report on the letter, dated December 18, 2017, of the chairman standing committee regarding investigation of management as well as defalcation in Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to fix the responsibility for the losses to the country also came under discussion. Asad Umar informed the committee that he has received update on the inquiry from NAB and directed the NAB official to submit report by May 15, 2018 so that the committee could decide the issue. The Utility Store Corporation's (USC) subsidy policy of the government on Ramazan Package 2018 and 3,649 daily-wage employees also came under discussion. The committee was informed that the government has slashed subsidy for Utility Stores. On this, the chairman standing committee stated that the government has given subsidy due for the poor to the sugar mill owners twice, questioning if sugar mill owners are poor that's why government is extending them subsidy. On the issue of daily-wage employees, the standing committee also constituted a sub-committee consisting of the following members: Iftikhar-ud-Din, MNA/convener and MNA Mehboob Alam, Member. The sub-committee will look into the matters about the daily-wage employees working for USC and their gratuity.
The recently appointed USC Managing Director Habib Gilani said when stores are running in losses, the number of employees can be reduced. He was of the view that USC's condition is so pathetic that it is paying salaries to the employees by selling other goods. He said the Corporation will require Rs6 billion funds to bear the financial burden if daily-wagers are regularized. The Corporation already owes Rs5.5 billion to suppliers.
The members of the National Assembly who attended the meeting were Asad Umar, Mehboob Alam, Sajida Begum, Ch Riaz-ul-Haq, Iftikhar-ud-din, and Maulana Muhammad Gohar Shah. Ministry of Industries was represented by Additional Secretary, Capt Ijaz Ahmad (Retd) and other senior officials, besides the CEOs of organizations which fall under the administrative control of the ministry.-
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