The World Bank has committed a total of $ 7.636 billion loans to Pakistan for various development projects and disbursed $ 2.41 billion so far, say the documents presented in a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Reforms, which are also available with Business Recorder.
The committee met with Senator Agha Shahzaib Khan Durrani in the chair here at Parliament House on Wednesday. The documents revealed that World Bank has committed $ 1.114 billion for Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project while $ 534.31 million have been disbursed, while $ 588.4 million are committed for Dasu Hydropower Staged Project and $ 176.23 million of them have been disbursed.
The World Bank has committed a total of $ 283 million for Sindh Water Sector Improvement Project and $ 215.62 million have been disbursed. A total of $ 380 million have been committed for Punjab Irrigated Agriculture Product and $ 213.288 million have been disbursed, $ 64 million have been disbursed out of $ 300 million committed for Third Punjab Education Sector Project and $ 100 million have been committed by the World Bank while $ 46.966 million have been disbursed for Punjab Health Sector Reforms Project.
The World Bank also committed $ 125 million for Disaster Resilience Improvement Project and a total of $ 41 million have been disbursed, while committed $ 200 million for Balochistan Integ Water Residence Management and $ 5.82 million have been disbursed so far.
Similarly, the World Bank committed $ 425 million for Transmission Modernisation Project, $ 400 million for Public Financial Management and Accountability to Support Service Delivery, $ 188 million for Pakistan Hydromel and DRM Service Project, $ 400 million for Second Sindh Education Sector Project, $ 50 million for Punjab Tourism for Economic Growth, $ 200 million for Punjab Green Development Programme and $ 200 million for Punjab Cities Programme, etc.
Earlier, Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Reforms Senator Agha Shahzaib Khan Durrani urged the planning department to devise an evaluation process to assess and control the cost overrun and time overrun of projects which result in loss of billions of rupees.
He said that there shouldn't be any compromise of education sector, especially when it comes to the under-developed province of Balochistan where already the literacy rate is extremely low, whose 4 approved projects ( HEC Projects) were chopped off from the PSDP in rationalisation process and they should be taken up immediately.
The committee chairman deplored over the fact that poor planning and unrealistic estimation result in delay of projects; thus, further escalating the cost and waste of resources. He further said that there are many projects which receive due amount, but the same remains unspent.
Senator Durrani pointed out that implementation capacity is a serious issue and there is dire need to adopt realistic approach as per available revenues. The committee was given a detailed briefing on the releases made against various PSDP projects. It was informed that transition period and rationalisation of PSDP resulted in slow releases during the first quarter. However, from July to September 2018, Rs 94.100 billion have been released to various ministries and divisions.
The chairman of the committee observed that slow pace of development projects indicate that estimates have not been made according to real situation and most of the projects are being completed under revised estimates. He underscored the need for more holistic approach in formulating and planning development initiatives. The members of the committee also asked the ministry about the Gwadar business plan.
The additional secretary planning informed the committee that the federal government releases funds to the provincial government of Balochistan and the provincial government has to execute and conceive projects under Gwadar Business Plan.
Senator Kauda Babar said that there are various sectors in which projects have been planned and the ministry should provide details of estimates and amounts allocated to each and every sector of the Gwadar Business Plan. Senator Mir Kabeer Ahmad Muhammad Shahi said that people of Gwadar are living a miserable life and they don't have access to clean drinking water.
The committee briefly discussed the Gwadar City Master Plan. The members of the committee were of the view that the plan has been devised by a steering committee without any consultation with the locals, especially the representatives of the people of Balochistan.
The members were of the view that public representatives from Balochistan in National Assembly, Senate and Provincial Assembly should be given representation in Steering committee on Gwadar Smart Port City Master Plan. Senator Hidayatullah also asked about the financial allocation made for the FATA Secretariat and sought details of the amount released and the projects being funded under the PSDP.
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