32 projects worth Rs 77 billion approved: ban sought on intra-department land sale/purchase

The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Saturday recommended a complete ban on intra-departmental sale and purchase of land for development projects.
The CDWP, which met here with Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Dr Akram Sheikh in the chair, said that land procured by one government department for specific project, if not used, should be transferred without any cost if required by another department for its project.
This was stated by PC spokesman Mohammad Asif. He said that a final decision in this regard would be taken by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec). The Planning Commission (PC) observed that land acquisition for schemes was becoming a serious issue and was a matter of great concern.
"The government departments acquire land through public funds for their projects, which, if not used for intended objective, is sold out to another government department at market rate," observed the PC in a written statement.
"The ultimate loser in this process is the government, and public money is largely at stake," said the PC. The practice involves use of public funds for purchase, and repurchase, of one piece of land within the government departments resulting in heavy drain-out of limited resources, which could otherwise be spent on development works, said the PC. The land purchased by government departments/agencies is sole property of the state, irrespective of the fact who controls and manages it, the PC observed.
The CDWP approved 32 projects costing Rs 77 billion. The project is of paramount importance, valuing Rs 3.6 billion, under which 100 mw electricity would be imported from Iran for Gwadar. The other important scheme, setting up Nuclear Fuel Enrichment Plant (NFEP) of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, was deferred.
The approved projects included a foreign exchange component of Rs 23.5 billion. Asif Sheikh said it was the last meeting of the CDWP of financial year 2006-07.
He said that in the whole year of 2006-07, CDWP accorded approval to 421 projects of Rs 475 billion to achieve the goals set in the medium term development framework (MTDF).
In the last CDWP meeting of 2006-07 fiscal year, out of 32 projects, the cost of 12 projects was revised with an increase of Rs 22 billion, from Rs 17 billion to Rs 39 billion. In the 32 projects, 20 new projects have been accorded approval.
The meeting approved 10 projects of Punjab of Rs 20.7 billion, one project of Sindh with cost of Rs 0.1 billion, one project for NWFP having cost Rs 0.1 billion, 3 projects of Balochistan with cost of Rs 26.6 billion, 3 projects for Northern Areas valuing Rs 0.4 billion, one project for AJK with cost of Rs 0.3 billion and two for FATA of Rs 0.1 billion and 11 projects based on all over country valuing Rs 28.7 billion.