Government may create four new federal ministries

The federal government is reportedly considering establishing four additional federal ministries, in addition to the four new ministries announced recently, to accommodate employees in the surplus pool after devolution of ministries under the 18th Constitutional Amendment.
Sources in Establishment Division revealed to this correspondent that around 30 joint secretaries and other federal employees who were not taken on by the provinces would be adjusted in the new ministries and divisions. They further claimed that the creation of new ministries would not need additional finance as the employees in the surplus pool have already been allocated salaries and other privileges for the current fiscal year.
According to the notifications of Cabinet issued on 26 October 2011, the four new ministries which were constituted included Ministry of National Heritage and Integration, Ministry of National Disaster Management, Ministry of National Regulations and Services and Ministry of National Food Security and Research. The new ministries will have as many as 49 divisions.
Under new arrangements, 13 divisions have been transferred to National Heritage and Integration Division. Earlier, these departments were working under Information and Broadcasting Division, Foreign Affairs Division, Economic Affairs Division, Cabinet Division and Inter-Provincial Co-ordination Division (IPC).
National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage of Pakistan; cultural pacts and protocols with other countries; international agreements/assistance in the field of archaeology, National Museums and Historical Monuments declared to be of national importance; Federal Land Commission, Quaid-e-Azam Papers Wing; Pakistan Academy of Letters, National Language Authority, Urdu Dictionary Board and Urdu Science Board; Standards for Higher Education; National and other languages used for official purposes; Quaid-e-Azam Academy; Aiwan-i-Iqbal; Quaid-e-Azam Mazar Management Board and Quaid-e-Azam Memorial Fund will work under the head of National Heritage and Integration Division.
The government has brought together under one roof all the departments dealing with disaster and environment. Newly established National Disaster Management Division has now seven departments. These include National Disaster Management Authority; Pakistan Environmental Protection Council; Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency; Pakistan Environmental Planning and Architectural Consultants Limited; Global Environmental Impact Study Centre, Islamabad; Policy, Legislation, Plans, Strategies and Programmes with regard to Disaster Management including Environmental Protection and Preservation and Co-ordination, Monitoring and Implementation of Environmental Agreements with other countries, International Agencies and Forums.
Similarly, Ministry of National Regulations and Services has 14 divisions. Eight departments were transferred from IPC Division which include Pakistan Medical and Dental Council, Pakistan Council for Nursing, College of Physicians and Surgeons, National Councils for Tibb and Homeopathy, Pharmacy Council of Pakistan, International Exchange of Students and Teachers, Foreign Studies and Training, National Associations in Medical and Allied fields such as Pakistan Red Crescent Society and TB Association and Directorate of Central Health establishment.
Academy of Educational Planning and Management, Central Board of Film Censor Islamabad, External Examination and Equivalence of Degrees and Diplomas, Commission for Standards for Higher Education, Women and Chest Diseases Hospital Rawalpindi and Federal Government Tuberculosis Centre, Rawalpindi. Previously, these were part of Cabinet Division and Professional and TT Division Capital A & D Division.
Ministry of National Food Security and Research has 15 departments. Economic Co-ordination and Planning in respect of food, import and export of food grains and food staff including quality control/assurance, availability and storage, collection of statistics regarding production, consumption, prices, imports and exports of food grains, co-ordination with aid/assistance agencies in respect of food sector, Pakistan Agricultural Research Council and other federal agriculture research organisations, FAQ of United Nations in respect of Food, Plant Protection-Pesticide import and standardisation-Aerial Spray Plant Quarantine and Locust Control in its international aspect and maintenance of locusts warning organisations, Federal Seed Certification and Registration, standardisation and import of fertiliser, Administrative Control of Pakistan Central Cotton Committee, Agricultural Policy Institute, Administrative Control of PASSCO, Pakistan Dairy Development Company, Livestock and Dairy Development Board (LDDB) and Fisheries Development Board (FDB). Earlier these divisions were the part of Cabinet Division, Commerce Division, Economic Affairs Division, Scientific and Technological Research Division, Textile Industry Division, Statistic Division, Planning & Development Division and Inter-Provincial Division.
Sources said that the nomination of secretaries and supportive staff is under consideration of the Establishment Division and notifications are likely next week. Under Rule 3 (2), the Prime Minister may, whenever necessary, constitute a new ministry consisting of one or more divisions.
Under the new arrangement, the administrative subjects remaining with the federal government following devolution under the 18th Amendment have been restructured. The notification said the restructuring had been made in line with the principles of good governance as this arrangement would bring cohesion, enhance efficiency and improve service delivery in administering the subjects assigned to different federal ministries.