The National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB) is looking into several recommendations and models to introduce institutional reforms in the financial, administrative and political institutions of the country.
NRB Chairman Daniyal Aziz talking to a select group of journalists at a local hotel on Thursday said that his organisation would soon come up with second generation reforms in a number of institutions that were in need of good governance.
He identified banking and non-banking financial institutions, brokerage houses, energy sector, IT sector, infrastructure development sector, industrial and commercial sectors, and many other areas that directly affect the process of development in Pakistan and the lives of its people, saying the NRB would soon introduce second generation reforms.
He said that governance issues were still to be solved and relief measures were yet to be adopted so that whatever had been achieved through the process of devolution could be protected and advanced.
He said that reform modules were aimed at minimising bureaucratic interference, introducing efficiency and system of accountability in all such organisations that were suffering from indifference toward their responsibilities.
To a question, Danyal Aziz said that the terms of reference (ToR) for the NRB were "all inclusive." The Bureau could look into the sufferings of the government institutions and make recommendations for their improvement. Be it local government, political system or issues of administration, the NRB has been mandated with the responsibilities of looking into its problems. "Yes, we can examine the working of any institution and make recommendations for its improvement," he said emphatically.
Danial Aziz said that NRB primarily is a think-tank and its recommendations were advisory in nature. All recommendations of the NBR go for the consideration of the Federal Cabinet and when approved by it, these are transmitted to department concerned or to the provincial governments for necessary action. If the provinces do not concur with NRB's proposals, they continue to remain at liberty to turn it down.
He said the NBR had been working on the issues of provincial autonomy, royalty to provinces, NFC award and similar issues that have over a period of time gained serious political significance.
In his view the provinces confine all discussions to concurrent and federal lists, which is not enough as far as the complex issue of provincial autonomy is concerned. He said he wanted the province to study the specific areas where more is needed and areas where there is autonomy but the provinces have not yet exercised their rights. The constitution has given enough powers and liberty to provinces to move ahead with their desires for independent thinking.
He said, for example, the general sales tax (GST) is a provincial matter, but the provinces themselves have asked the federal government to collect it on their behalf. Similarly, the provinces ask for appointments, postings and transfers of higher officers from the federal government whereas the constitution has already empowered them to take initiatives.
He said in his opinion the provinces have not been exercising their powers contained in the Constitution. "The question of provincial autonomy is more to do with the bureaucracy than the people of a province. They have made it a issue for their benefits which the provinces have failed to realise."
The NRB chief said that in India, the creation of province does not demand constitutional amendments. It is an administrative matter in India, whereas in Pakistan, it is a constitutional matter for which only two-thirds majority would be able to bring about amendment to the Constitution before a new province had been created.
He said that the experience of creating districts had not been encouraging. The levels of efficiency, administrative effectiveness and convenience to the people have not increased. On the other hand, the creation of new and small districts has increased financial burden on the provincial exchequers.
Danial Aziz said the creation of more provinces is a serious issue and should not be handled by a few people in isolation and without taking into consideration its ramifications in terms of financial burden, administrative advantage, and political saneness.
He said the NRB is a consultative body and think-tank, which acts only after taking all the stakeholders into confidence. "We have been transparent throughout and the NBR has not taken any action or implemented any plan without consulting its beneficiaries", he added.
PPI ADDS: National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB) Chairman Danial Aziz says there was pressure on the federal government from the provincial governments to handle financial, legal, and service matters on their (provinces) behalf.
The provinces asked the federal government to collect sales tax on their behalf, resolve gas royalty issue between all provinces as well as hold arbitration on hydel power royalty between NWFP and Wapda.
Talking to newsmen on Thursday here, he said President Pervez Musharraf was asked by chief ministers to give National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, under which more funds had been given to Balochistan and other provinces above their share.
Danial Aziz said the NRB wants that the federal government should transfer power to the provinces and this was being done. He dispelled the impression that Punjab was taking away the rights of other provinces.
He stressed that autonomy was meant for the people of all the provinces. Under the Local Government Ordinance, provincial governments implement the laws in their respective provinces. The NRB was only facilitating provincial governments in this regard, he added.
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