The Sindh government is unlikely to include any new development scheme in the Annual Development Programme (ADP) for 2009-10, Business Recorder has learnt. According to official sources, the status of all unapproved development schemes of ADP 2008-09 would be changed into approved so that the World Bank (WB) would provide funding for them.
A letter recently forwarded to all administrative departments says: "All proposed schemes for the next years ADP 2009-10 should get approval from the competent forum ie the Departmental Development Working Party (DDWP) and Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) by March 31 as according to the agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), no unapproved scheme be included."
According to rules, the DDWP is authorised to approve the development schemes worth Rs 500 million, the PDWP can approve Rs 2,000 million worth schemes, while the Central Development Working Party (CDWP), Islamabad, can approve schemes up to Rs 5,000 million. The letter further says, "It is felt the demand submitted by the administration departments are ambitious whereas next years likely resources may not exceed the current years allocation. It is therefore imperative that the departments may re-examine their program."
It said that the ongoing schemes, which have reached fairly advance level of implementation, should be adequately funded so that they are completed during 2009-10 and placed from the ADP during subsequent years. However, it said that if the administration department felt that the inclusion of certain schemes was essential then a summary for Chief Minister has to be moved through Planning and Development Department for inclusion in the ADP, as well as, allocation of funds. And the ratio between ongoing and new schemes may not exceed 80:20, it further said.
Sources said that a meeting of Inter-Departmental Priority Committee (IDPC) would be held from March 24 to 28, 2009 under the chairmanship of Additional Chief Secretary (Development) to approve the priority program for inclusion in the ADP.
They said that the meeting of various departments, including agriculture, forest and wildlife, Coastal Development Authority (CDA), food, livestock and fisheries, industries, mines and minerals would be held on March 24, irrigation and power, water sector improvement project, education, culture and tourism, Auqaf, sports, antiquities, information and archives, Sindh Technical and Vocational Training Authority on March 25, health, women development, population welfare, transport, social welfare, roads and buildings, environment and information technology on March 26 and the local government, public health engineering, excise and taxation, provincial ombudsman, SGA&CD, law, finance, Board of Revenue on March 28.