National Assembly Standing Committee on Economic Affairs Division (EAD) here on Thursday once again deferred the approval of the proposed General Statistics (Re-organisation) Act, 2010 till next meeting in view of less than required presence of the members in the meeting.
The committee met in the parliament house with Malik Azmat MNA in the chair to consider the proposed legislation. Minister of State for Finance and Economic Affairs Hinna Rabbani Khar and Federal Secretary Statistic Division Asif Bajwa briefed the committee aims of the legislation and sought early approval of the legislation as its approval has been delayed five times before this meeting.
Minister of State informed the committee that the objective of the restructuring of the statistical organisation is to increase the credibility by giving autonomy and by implementing international standards, efficient use of resources for improving quality of statistical data, speed up collection of data by modernising infrastructure and promote professionalism through capacity building and effective human resource development.
The conversion of Federal Bureau of Statistics into Pakistan Bureau of Statistics is necessary so that no one could point figure on the credibility of the Statistics organisation or figures finalised by it for policymaking.
She said that government's come and go but the credible statistics are essential for the policymaking and national development. The proposed legislation seeks to put in place a framework with autonomous and capable management and quality working at the institution for preparation of national statistics. The management and workforce in the proposed organisation would be allowed to function without any intervention of the government and figures finalised may suit the government or not be released.
Federal Secretary Asif Bajwa informed the committee that statistics should be credible as the organisations using such method to fix their goals and targets according to the credible figures and results are ensured. The proposed legislation aims at conversion of the existing organisation in to an administratively and financially autonomous with no government intervention and a professional body.
He informed that the Federal Cabinet has already approved in 2006 the merger of Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS), Pakistan Census Organisation (PCO) and Agriculture Census Organisation (ACO). However, it was also decided that in first phase Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS) and Agriculture Census Organisation (ACO) would be merged and after completion of 6th National Census the Pakistan Census Organisation (PCO) would be merged with other two in second phase.
Under the proposed legislation an Administrative Council headed by Federal Minister for Finance would be established with Chief Statistician and five members. This step would ensure administrative autonomy of the new statistical organisation. The statistical body would have it's own independent Fund and this would ensure it's financial autonomy. The government would allocate annual budget for the fund and then the organisation would be free to use these funds for its work without approaching finance division each month. These two steps would ensure the complete autonomy to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. It was informed that after approval of the proposed legislation and merger of the FBS, PCO and ACO the General Statistics Act, 1975, Agriculture Census Act, 1958 and The Census Ordinance 1959 shall stand repealed.