Senate panel irked as recommendations ignored in PSDP.

Byline: Khaleeq Kiani

ISLAMABAD -- A Senate committee on Wednesday lodged a strong protest with the federal government for not including development projects recommended by senators in the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2020-21.

Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar said that rules of business were silent as to what to do with recommendations of the senators and that formulating the budget was the prerogative of the government.

He said a committee would be constituted soon with representation from members of both houses of parliament to analyse the implementation status of development schemes.

This was the crux of a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Special Initiatives to consider the recommendations of members of the Senate regarding the PSDP in the Budget Statement 2020-21. Senator Agha Shahzaib Khan Durrani presided over the meeting.

The senators decided to boycott proceedings of the meeting and announced that in protest no recommendation would be given to the National Assembly on the PSDP for the budget for 2020-21.

Minister argues rules silent about the matter

Mr Durrani observed that senators were public representatives and took steps for resolution of problems of the people and for development and welfare of their areas.

He said that each year senators tried their best to have numerous schemes and projects included in the PSDP for welfare and prosperity of people of their respective provinces, but it was a pity that their recommendations were not made part of the final budget.

Senator Usman Kakar said that every constituency and every district of Balochistan needed development work, but it was strange that their recommendations were not implemented and until senators were given assurance of implementation of their...

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