Less-developed areas: 'delay in PC-1 preparation is delaying projects' completion'

A parliamentary panel was informed on Monday that delay in preparation of PC-1 of different projects by the provincial governments is delaying completion of health, education, infrastructure, water and sanitation related projects in the less-developed areas of the country. The committee met here under the chairmanship of Senator Usman Khan Kakar to review the progress on recommendations made by the committee in the past three years with respect to the less-developed areas of the country.
Briefing the committee, Additional Secretary Ministry of Planning and Development, Zafar Hassan said that bringing the less-developed regions of the country at par with the developed ones was the top priority of the government and, thus, the projects were being implemented in multiple sectors of economy.
Member Implementation and Monitoring Ministry of Planning, Lieutenant General Shahid Niaz (retd) said that in the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), ongoing projects were given priority regarding allocation of funds and especially those projects which were near completion were accorded higher priority to ensure their timely completion. The committee was informed that construction of 100 small dams project is under way in Balochistan province, adding that under the package-I, 20 small dams costing Rs 2.4 billion had been completed.
In package-II, the construction of 26 small dams is under implementation and about 70 percent physical work (on 12 dams) has been completed at the cost of Rs 4.6 billion, and these projects will be completed by June 2017. In package-III, project costing to Rs 7.9 billion for the construction of 20 small dams has been approved by the Ecnec in its meeting held on September 30 last and within one month, tender process was completed.
However, the committee was informed that the long delay in completion of these projects is a result of non-serious attitude of concerned provincial departments. Moreover, the following medium dams in Balochistan have been completed while some are under-construction but they are in advance stage of completion: Project of mini dams in tribal area has been completed by Wapda at the cost of Rs 57.5 billion; Subakzai Dam at the cost of Rs 2.0 billion has been completed in Zhob area by Wapda; Toiwar Batozai storage dam, district Qilla Saifullah (medium), is in advance stage of completion; and reconstruction of Shadi Kour Dam, district Gwadar, has been completed while Basool Dam construction is in initial stage.
All these projects are under-implementation through the PSDP, while provincial governments are implementing other small dam projects from their own financial resources/ provincial ADPs. The less-developed areas are identified by the provincial governments as per the socio-economic conditions and the state of existing infrastructure. The panel was further informed that during the past five financial years (2012-17), a total amount of Rs 887 billion has been allocated for various development projects in less-developed areas, but unfortunately some of the critical projects could not be completed as yet because of abovementioned problems.
"If provincial departments are submitting their PC-1 with the Ministry of Planning, we are causing delay of not a single day in initiating the work on the projects. It is so unfortunate that officials are not dispensing their due responsibilities. Those who start working are taken to the courts and those who do not start working face no issues," Shahid Niaz added.
Establishment of SDG Centre in Planning Commission is a starting point and is followed by four provinces and three special areas. After passage of the 18th Amendment, the provincial governments /departments have been given autonomy to carry out development work in their areas. However, SDG Unit established in the Federal Government has provisional innovative scheme for partial financing of the provincial department's projects for the less-developed areas.
The development of less-developed areas is the priority of the present government. A number of development projects are being implemented after approval of the competent authority. Funds were allocated as per available fiscal space and sectoral/regional priorities of the government. The-priority was also given to projects of less-developed areas for a balanced development in the country.
The ongoing projects were adequately financed under PSDP 2016-17 for timely completion. As per PSDP 2016-17, over 90 percent funds were allocated for ongoing projects and remaining for the new projects. Regarding the establishment of University of Sibi and other educational institutions in Balochistan, the officials said PC-1 of the project was discussed by the CDWP in its meeting held on October 29, 2015. The meeting approved the project costing Rs 550.240 million, including FEC of Rs 190.617 million but so far, the provincial government has not completed the PC-1.
During FY 2015-16, Rs 15.393 million were allocated to initiate project activities. The project is reflected as ongoing project in PSDP (HEC) 2016-17 with the allocation of Rs 50 million. Land measuring 250 acres has been allotted by the government of Balochistan (free of cost) in north of Sibi town for establishment of the proposed university.
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has requested the provincial government for promulgation of charter of the university and had already issued the NOC in this regard. Initially, classes will be launched in Governor House Sibi or at the infrastructure provided by the provincial government.
The officials briefing on the establishment of sub-campus of Balochistan University of Information Technology and Management Sciences, Quetta, in districts Muslim Bagh and Qila Saifullah said that project was included in the PSDP (HEC) 2015-16 (Serial No 287) with tentative cost of Rs 540 million and allocation of Rs 25 million.
The proposal was discussed in detail with BUITEMS during a review meeting held at the HEC on October 15, 2015 (15-10-2015). The university was requested to ensure availability of land/infrastructure free of cost from the provincial government for establishment of the proposed campus at Muslim Bagh. The PC-I could not be finalised due to non-availability of land /infrastructure free of cost from the provincial government, as a result the PC-1 has now been dropped from PSDP (HEC) 2016-17.