ISLAMABAD: Planning Commission has announced that Rs 95.294 billion worth 167 projects have been completed in the country including Rs 85.560 billion worth infrastructure projects, Rs 8.851 billion social sector projects and other projects worth Rs 882.28 million in the country.Planning Commission Pakistan has launched a report on Public Sector Development (PSDP) projects, which has been placed at the Planning Commission’s website.
Several important problems have been identified in the monitoring process, which this report summarises. The report also shows that projects tend to suffer because of the lack of professional management capacity. Continuing fiscal policy difficulties have not only starved projects of financing but also have made funding volatile at the cost of project implementation. Cost overruns and penalties are continuously being incurred as a result.
Land acquisition remains variable that is continuously inflating costs. Inadequate preparation such as well-prepared feasibilities, clear project management plans often lead to confused implementation such as unsynchronised procurements and construction. Finally, there seems to be limited planning on post completion maintenance or effective administration of the project for maximising benefits to the people. Planning Commission intends to prepare more in depth analyses of its projects in an effort to bring more discipline and accountability in the process through greater transparency.
An official statement issued here stated that Planning Commission of Pakistan is charged with delivering growth through planning and project implementation. Through nine plans and several ‘visions’ and other well-researched documents, the Planning Commission has tried to work this mandate. What have endured in the Planning mechanism has been the “Public Sector Development Plan” and the “projects” it funds.
“To understand public service delivery and growth in the country, we need to understand “projects”, their implementation and finally their delivery to the people of Pakistan” – said Dr. Nadeem Ul Haq Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, of Pakistan while addressing Senior Officials of the Planning Commission.The implementation and execution of the PSDP funded projects had, no doubt, brought relief to the general public at large and positively contribute to the national economy. However, it may not be enough in the backdrop of rapidly growing population and consequent increased demand for provision of social services and infrastructure facilities. Realising this, government of Pakistan endeavors to ensure provision of basic facilities to a major portion of population and further plans to extend these to all the provinces/regions of the country through fiscal decentralisation and resources transfer as per NFC award.
In order to disseminate pertinent information to the concerned stakeholders in the national development process, the planning Commission has complied information on the PSDP projects completed during financial year 2009-10. Three volumes, containing information on these completed projects have been prepared by the Projects Wing Planning Commission. The summary of completed projects is given in the table attached.The project life cycle comprises of five stages which includes a) Identification and preparation b) Appraisal and Approval c) Execution d) Completion and e) Evaluation.Planning Commission is responsible for appraisal and approval of projects and for third party monitoring and evaluation of PSDP projects. Ministries, the main stakeholders, are required to take corrective measures during execution and completion of project.
Planning Commission’s Monitoring and Evaluation Unit (MEU) plays a key role in streamlining project implementation within approved time, cost and scope. MEU is continually trying to provide useful guidelines to implementing agencies as well as feed back to policy makers to affect improvements for better utilization of available resources.Planning Commission is seeking to improve its monitoring functions by making use of its monitoring reports and data available to the public. The use of public resources must be clearly seen to benefit the people of the country. PCP’s reporting to the people must make apparent both the good points as well as the emerging problems in the project implementation process. Ultimately the goal is to deliver better assets and service to the people.
Planning Commission Pakistan has already started reporting on projects that have been completed. The website is being continually updated. Speaking at the occasion Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Dr. Nadeem Ul Haq said, “Substantial number of projects are completed every year, and now need to move to the next stage: assess the value of these projects to society, the economy and the people”. – Dailytimes
