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ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal has said the government is pursuing a business-friendly policy and promoting a conducive environment for entrepreneurs as an export-led policy is the only way to tackle the current financial crisis.

Addressing a roundtable conference on digitisation of the PSDP organised by the Ministry for Planning and Development here on Wednesday, the minister said he would recommend to the prime minister that an export emergency be declared in the country to deal with the economic challenges, saying the government would take everybody on board in this regard.

The minister said the government would provide all-out support to the industrial sector for resolving their issues and at present, the country needed united and joint efforts. He said that political instability remained one of the biggest challenges of the past 75 years as a result Pakistan did not achieve the status it deserved at the international level.

The minister said that in the past 75 years, April 2022 was the first time when the Ministry of Finance declined to release Rs 240 billion under PSDP for ongoing development projects, which reflected what kind of financial challenges Pakistan was facing. He said the climate change-related problems had added to the financial woes of the country. He said that in 2018, Pakistan’s total PSDP was Rs1,000 billion which in 2022 declined to Rs 550 billion, while it should be Rs 1,500 billion.

He said the Governance Innovation Lab under the Ministry of Planning and Development had taken a major step towards making information about the Rs750 billion development expenditure of Pakistan accessible to the masses. A new portal would be created to provide real-time information about the allocation, release, and progress of every PSDP project through a graphical interface, he explained.

All approved PC1s will be available and accessible on the portal, and the ministry has established a Champions of Reforms (COR) Network to seek input from citizens in reviewing and evaluating project proposals under PSDP. This unprecedented move will ensure greater returns on investment by making sure that the PSDP reflects the aspirations of the citizens.

The minister said that expert opinions gathered during the evaluation process would be included as a special section in the executive summary of PC-1 that was presented at the CDWP, making all stakeholders accountable to the citizens of Pakistan and enhancing the transparency and effectiveness of PSDP. Both the ministry’s and independent experts’ opinions will be reflected in the PC1s and discussed in the CDWP meetings.

This digitization initiative is a major step towards making the PSDP allocations more accountable and accessible to the public, and the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives is proud to lead the way in this effort.

Earlier, the participants discussed various suggestions at the seminar conference saying the ministry has made a significant move towards greater transparency in development expenditure. With the digitisation of PSDP, the federal government aims to provide citizens with in-depth information on all PSDP-funded projects through a dedicated portal, including project locations, funding, releases, progress, and even satellite images and drone footage where available.

This innovative step towards a more informed and engaged public is set to revolutionize the way we track and understand government spending.

Similarly, Member Governance, Innovation and Reforms Dr Adnan Rafiq stated that to bridge the gap between citizens and the state, the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives introduces digital technology to increase transparency and accountability. By incorporating global expert viewpoints, the dedicated portal allows civil society to monitor progress on PSDP projects and researchers to conduct in-depth analysis. This collaboration will aid the ministry in enhancing PSDP allocations and driving positive change for the citizens of Pakistan.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023

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