Country’ planning commission says faulty planning has played havoc with PSDP projects in the country.
This has resulted in dismal reimbursements for the projects. Planning ministry told a Senate Committee in mid-November that more than 90 percent development projects were facing cost and time overruns indicating faulty planning.
The commission disbursed only Rs94 billion (9pc) against budgetary allocation for development projects in the first quarter of the current fiscal year against the required 20pc target.
The ministry officials said the government`s decision to rationalize PSDP caused delay in disbursement during the current year.
Islamabad slashed PSDP to Rs675bn, including Rs531bn of local funds and Rs144bn of foreign exchange component instead of budgeted allocation of Rs1,001bn.
The total disbursements amounted to Rs94.1bn, including Rs63bn of rupee component, Rs30.336bn in foreign exchange and stood at 14pc of the revised Rs675bn PSDP.
Gwadar City Master Plan was also discussed in the moot. Delays in finalization of the plan have caused issues including a restriction on constructing houses as the local people now need NOC for such purpose.
More unfortunate was the fact that Gwadar has not been given Rs25bn during the past 15 years.
Also, Balochistan’s four approved HEC projects were chopped off from the PSDP at rationalization stage.
