ISLAMABAD (APP) - The federal government on Tuesday decided to expedite the process of transferring development projects to provinces after the Public Works Department (PWD) was abolished a couple of months back.
The decision was made during a meeting chaired by Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal, attended by the Secretary of Planning and senior provincial officials which resolved to transfer PSDP-funded projects to provincial governments without delay, a news release said.
The minister said only the projects were being transferred while funding under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) would continue.
He directed provinces to submit names of ministries overseeing projects slated for transfer within a week.
He said the ongoing PWD projects in Islamabad would also be handed over the capital Development Authority (CDA) and relevant ministries, clarifying that projects were not be terminated but rather reassigned to different institutions.
The minister said Balochistan had already completed the necessary formalities, and other provinces must provide complete required details in a week.
He outlined that the committee’s objective was to resolve legal hurdles and ensure timely completion of projects.
To facilitate swift transfers of projects to provinces, he said Deputy Commissioners at the district level would serve as focal persons. They would, along with PWD and concerned agencies, randomize contracts within four to five days and obtain no-objection certificates from contractors.
“This decision is expected to ensure timely completion of development projects, ultimately benefiting the people,” the minister remarked.