ISLAMABAD: In the wake of 18th Constitutional Amendment, which devolved powers, resources and allocations among the country’s four provinces, the Pakistan Muslim league-N government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has decided to include a separate chapter on development priorities for the provinces into the upcoming five-year national development plan and Vision 2025, official sources here say.
In pursuance of the mandate of 18th Amendment and the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, which determines the share of the provinces of the national revenue collection, the federal government has taken a principle stance to bring federating units at the centre of the development stage.
The government has already missed out its envisaged deadline to finalize its five-year plan and Vision 2025 till December 31, 2013. “The prime minister has given a one-month extension to finalise these crucial documents in consultations with the federating units by January 31, 2014,” an official said yesterday.
When contacted, Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal said consultations with the provinces were underway and that the document would be finalised by January 31, 2014. “In first week of February 2014 the National Economic Council (NEC) will be convened under chairmanship of the prime minister to approve the five-year plan and Vision 2025,” he added.
The main themes of the five-year plan and Vision 2025 include integrated energy, self-reliance, inclusive and sustainable growth, human and social capital, value-addition and competitiveness in productive sectors, modernisation of Infrastructure and Regional Connectivity and SMEs (small and medium enterprises) and private sector led growth.
According to the current government, development planning in Pakistan has been an activity carried out in complete isolation in the past. Previous plans were documents containing lofty promises but lacked continuity in development planning and implementation. “No plan can be successful without active participation of the people and stakeholders who matter in formulation, implementation and execution of the activities,” said a PML-N leader, requesting anonymity.
On the other hand, critics claim that the government’s reform agreement with the International Monetary Fund on a three-year plan followed by post monitoring for the next two years doesn’t allow it much legroom in the context of the five-year-plan. Internews
