Years 2015 to 2017: Audit reports of funds allocated, released to provinces through SDGs sought

ISLAMABAD: The Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat has sought audit reports of the funds allocated and released to the provinces through Sustainable Development Goals Achievement plan (SDGs) during the years 2015 to 2017.

The Committee gave these directions after a briefing by the Cabinet Division on SDGs Schemes carried out during the previous five years.

The Committee also decided to invite the Federal Minister heading the SDGs Steering Committee for discussion in this regard.

The Committee met with Kishwer Zehra, MNA in the chair at the Parliament House, on Wednesday.

It was further apprised that guidelines approved by the Cabinet were in place which underlines the procedure and criteria for submission, approval of all such schemes and the subsequent release of funds.

The members of the Committee criticized the approval criteria and demanded for grant of schemes to all parliamentarians irrespective of the political divide.

The Committee, while discussing calling attention notice of Sher Akbar Khan, MNA regarding issue of construction of dispensaries in District Buner, directed Secretary Health Department, KPK and deputy commissioner Buner to bring a plan in consultation with the MNA/Mover within 30 days for making the said dispensaries.

The Committee, while discussing the Constitutional Amendment Bills of Aliya Kamran and Salahuddin Ayubi seeking extension of period of provincial quota in services of Pakistan for further two decades through amendment in Article 27 of the Constitution of Pakistan, asked the Establishment Division to pursue convening of Cabinet Committee on Disposal of Legislative Business for sorting out the issue within one month otherwise, the Committee would be constrained to pass the Amendment Bills.

The Committee also directed the Cabinet Secretary to pursue the issue of closure of Abandoned Property Organization with the Cabinet Committee on Institutional Reforms.

The meeting was attended by MNAs; Saleem Rehman, Muhammad Aslam Khan, Uzma Riaz, Shahnaz Saleem Malik, Seema Mohiuddin Jameeli, Roshanuddin Junejo, Syed Mehmood Shah, Mohsin Dawar, Movers; Aliya Kamran, Usama Qadri, Sher Akbar Khan, Secretary Cabinet Division, and other officers of the concerned departments.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021