The price of Naulong Dam has been elevated from Rs11.7 billion in 2009 to Rs28.47 billion. PHOTO: NNI
ISLAMABAD: The federal authorities on Thursday accredited six tasks at a value of Rs98 billion, of which 4 of them had been revised repeatedly, underscoring poor planning, approval and execution of tasks that was denying the supposed advantages in addition to placing further burden on the general public exchequer.
Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh chaired the assembly of the Government Committee of Nationwide Financial Council (Ecnec) that accredited the six schemes costing Rs97.6 billion, in line with a press release issued by the Ministry of Finance.
Nevertheless, 4 tasks that had been accredited at a complete value of Rs27.7 billion a couple of decade in the past, have now been given the go-ahead once more at a cumulative value of Rs61.three billion, a rise of at the least Rs33.6 billion, which is greater than double the unique value.
A challenge for the development of Mandra-Chakwal highway had been accredited by Ecnec, led by Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, at a value of Rs2.7 billion in 2012. Shaikh has now accredited it at a revised value of Rs11.9 billion, which was 348% increased.
Mission planning and execution has remained dismal in Pakistan and successive governments have failed to enhance the system, leading to wastage of fiscal sources. Nobody has been penalised for the ill-planning, approval and execution of the schemes.
The Mandra-Chakwal challenge had been pushed ahead by the then prime minister, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, for his constituency. The scheme was challenged in court docket because of violation of guidelines within the award of contracts.
The Nationwide Accountability Bureau (NAB) had additionally launched an inquiry. The Central Improvement Working Get together (CDWP) initially accredited the scheme in September 2012 at a value of Rs2.7 billion. Nevertheless, after coming to energy, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) authorities accredited the challenge at a revised value of Rs4.7 billion after which once more adjusted the associated fee upwards to Rs10.1 billion in 2016.
Former PM Ashraf gave the contract to the Nationwide Logistics Cell (NLC) in violation of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) guidelines. The Islamabad Excessive Courtroom later struck down the award of the contract. Nevertheless, in aggressive bidding, NLC once more received the contract by providing the bottom bid.
Now, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) authorities has made a 3rd revision, rising the associated fee by Rs9.2 billion – 348% increased than the unique value in 2012. Ecnec additionally accredited the Toiwar/Batozai Storage Dam challenge for Killa Saifullah district, Balochistan on the second-time revised value of Rs4.9 billion. This challenge had been initially accredited at a value of Rs2.four billion.
The Irrigation Division of Balochistan will execute the challenge. Ecnec directed the federal government of Balochistan to make sure the completion of the challenge inside the revised scope and value.
The Naulong Dam challenge, with the PC-I revised for the second time, was granted, in precept, approval to allow the Financial Affairs Division to start out negotiations with the Asian Improvement Financial institution for finalising particulars of challenge financing, in line with the Ministry of Finance. The price of the Naulong Dam has been elevated from Rs11.7 billion in 2009 to Rs28.47 billion.
Ecnec additionally gave directives for constituting a committee comprising the minister for financial affairs, minister for planning, Privatisation Fee deputy chairman, representatives of the Ministry of Water Sources and the federal government of Balochistan to debate points associated to the preparation of revised PC-I of the challenge. The committee will give its enter inside two weeks.
The whole cultivable command space of the challenge has been elevated from the sooner proposed 9,900 acres to 47,000 acres whereas the proposed energy era capability of the challenge has additionally been raised.
The technical appraisal part has requested a number of questions in regards to the hydrology and seismic information of the realm the place the Naulong Dam is below building.
Ecnec additionally accredited the operationalisation of Inexperienced Line Bus Speedy Transit and Set up of Built-in Clever Transport System Tools challenge at a complete value of Rs11 billion.
It endorsed the development of Nationwide Digital Complicated of Pakistan, Part-I within the H-9/1 sector of Islamabad at a revised value of Rs16.1 billion. This challenge had been accredited at a value of Rs10.9 billion a few years in the past.
The challenge will assist in expertise acquisition for the achievement of self-reliance in analysis, design and manufacturing within the info and communication expertise sector. It is going to additionally assist give early warning techniques for catastrophe administration and support in digital measures for the safety of nationwide property, digital exploration of pure sources on land/ sea and designing and fabrication of built-in circuits and techniques on chips. It’s anticipated that the challenge might be accomplished by June 2022.
The Nationwide Programme for Enhancing the Command Space in Barani Areas of Pakistan was accredited at a complete value of Rs25.four billion. The challenge scope contains building of two,664 farm ponds for storing rainwater from varied sources and set up of photo voltaic pumping techniques on farm ponds for the operation of high-efficiency irrigation techniques.
Revealed in The Categorical Tribune, March 27th, 2020.
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