‘PSDP’s proposals should align V-2025 and govt manifesto’

Federal Minister Planning, Development & Reform Ahsan Iqbal has impressed upon the federal ministries and departments to come up with the proposals for next year's Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), which are linked with Vision-2025 and fulfillment of manifesto of the government.

Government will entertain only those projects which are aligned with the future growth roadmap and will have a higher development impact. Present government is giving top priority to energy and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects, leaving it with limited financial resources to finance other development projects that requires the ministries to present high priority projects. Federal Minister Planning & Development made these remarks while chairing a preparatory meeting for PSDP 2016-17 at Planning Commission of Pakistan.

The meeting was attended by Secretaries, Additional Secretaries and other high officials of federal ministries and departments. Ahsan Iqbal issued guidelines to the ministries to formulate the proposals for next PSDP by keeping management practices.

Ahsan Iqbal said that proposals for next financial year PSDP should be prepared in line with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which the government declared as Pakistan Development Goals for the sake of our own future.

He also called upon them to raise their capacity building to utilize the allocated funds as well as preparation of PC-1 because of lack of capacity on part of departments to formulate technically and financially sound PC-1 of the projects is creating bad impact. Minister noted that under-utilization of allocated funds against some projects signals toward serious lacunas in public sector's capacity to utilize the fund.