CDWP clears 6 projects worth Rs139b sans appraisal of Economic, Technical sections of PC.

ISLAMABAD -- The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) has cleared six development projects worth Rs139 billion without the appraisal of the Economic and Technical sections of the Planning Commission.

All the projects were placed before the CDWP in violation of guidelines of the Planning Commission envisaged in manual for development projects which says that no project can be placed in CDWP before two weeks of its arrival in the Planning Commission, official source The Nation.

Amidst the ongoing pen-down strike from the Economist Group/Technical group the CDWP approved six projects worth Rs 139b. Hundreds of officers of economist and technical cadres of Planning Commission of Pakistan are protesting against 'discriminatory' policy of government for grant of 150pc Executive Allowance. It is worth mentioning here that this the second CDWP meeting held this week without the participation of the Economist and Technical groups.

Several violations have been made while conducting the CDWP meeting without the participation of economic and technical cadres and evaluation of the projects PC-I, said the source.

All the projects approved by the CDWP arrived on November 8, 2022 and was placed before the forum within three days, which is the violation of the Planning Commission guidelines, said the source. No economic or technical appraisal or evaluation of the projects have been done by the concerned sections. Similarly none of the Technical/Economist group representatives participated in the pre-CDWP meeting held for these projects, the source commented.

Around 10 permanent members of the CDWP including Economist, Technical and operation sections were absent from the meeting and without their participation the forum is legally not capable of approving development projects, the source said.

The notice for the CDWP meeting was issued by a section officer instead of PIA section of the Planning Commission, which is illegal, the source claimed.

The projects were approved by CDWP without the technical or economic appraisal of the concerned section of the Planning Commission and the legality of the process is questionable, the source maintained.

The CDWP that met under the chairmanship of Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal has approved an important project of T and C only on the basis of just one page brief provided by sponsors (the concerned ministry), said the source.

Meanwhile, a press statement issued here...