‘No changes can be made in approved PSDP’

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Special Initiatives on Tuesday was forced to cancel its meetings for finalising its recommendations on development budget when Secretary Planning plainly informed the committee that it could not bring any changes in the approved Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).

The Senate Standing Committee was told that the Public Finance Management (PFM) act approved by the parliament did not elaborate on any role of the Senate Panel, so if the members belonging to the Upper House of Parliament wanted any effective role for this forum, they should introduce amendments into the PFM law.

The Senate Standing Committee on Planning held its meeting under the Chairmanship of Senator Saleem Mandiwalla here on Tuesday to consider and finalise the recommendations of Members on the Finance (Amendment), Bill, 2021 relating to Public Sector Development Program 2021-22.

Senator Sardar Muhamad Shafiq Tareen raised the matter of inadequate allocation for D I Khan to Zhob and Zhob-Kuchlak projects. He said that these projects won’t even start with these allocations. He also commented that southern Balochistan package was a step to divide Balochistan, as the Pashtun Districts in northern Baluchistan were totally ignored.

He also demanded that Fata-Balochistan scholarships should be continued for least five more years. Senator Sardar Tareen also raised the issue of dualization of road from Karachi to Quetta to Chaman. He asked what is the reason that the N-25 Road has been divided in two parts.

One is included for government funding while the other is left to public private partnership project. He asked that his road should be prioritised. Replying to the questions raised by Senator Shafiq Tareen, the officials of NHA said that they had demanded Rs198 billion and a grant of Rs113 billion was approved. So we already had a shortfall of 80 billion rupees.