Thursday, June 30, 2011

**JP** Drama of Devolution under 18th Amendment

Dear All
 

It is not surprising to note that despite high sounding drum-beating of 'Devolution of powers to Provinces' nothing has been practically devolved under 18th Amendment in respect of policy decisions, financial controls and regulatory powers.

 

Everybody knows that the ministries exercise their powers and functions through attached Departments / Organizations. Take example of Federal ministry of food and agriculture; the subject was a provincial matter even before the 18th Amendment but all policy matters, foreign aid/loan and regulatory functions were exercised by the Federation.

 

Now notionally the ministry has been devolved to provinces but the situation on the ground is still as under;

 

Sr.

Attached

Department /

Mega Project

Devolved

to

Provinces

Shifted to

Another Federal

Ministry

Remarks

1

Department of

Plant Protection

No

Yes

To Min of Commerce

 

2

Seed Certification

& Registration

Department

No

Yes

To Min of

Science & Tech

 

3

Pakistan Agricultural

Storage and Services

Corporation

No

Yes

To Min of

commerce

 

4

Pakistan Agricultural

Research Council

No

Yes to

Min of Sc. & Tech

 

5

Pakistan Central

Cotton Committee

No

Yes

To Min of Textile

 

6

Pakistan Oilseed

Development Board

No

No

Closed

7

Soil Survey of

Pakistan

Yes

No

To

Punjab

8

Agriculture Policy

Institute

No

Yes to

Min of Planning

 

9

Economic Wing

No

Yes to

Min of Planning

 

10

WTO Cell

No

Yes to

Min of Econ. Affairs

 

11

Animal Quarantine

Department

No

Yes

To Min of Commerce

 

12

Federal Water

Management Cell

No

Yes

To Min of Power

 

13

Pakistan Tobacco

Board

No

Yes to

Min of Sc. & Tech

 

14

Pakistan

Horticulture Board

No

Yes

To Min of Commerce

 

15

Mega Project

NAPHIS

No

Yes

To Min of Commerce

Rs 773

Million

16

Mega Project

Vegetable Hybrid

Seed Production

No

Yes

To Min of

Science & Tech

Rs 500

Million

17

Mega Project

Bio-saline

Agriculture

No

Yes

To Min of

Science & Tech

Rs 826

Million

18

Mega Project

Crop Maximization

No

Yes to

Min of Sc. & Tech

Rs 8,013

Million

19

Mega Project

National Commercial

Seed Production

No

Yes

To Min of

Science & Tech

Rs 3,500

Million

20

Mega Project

Commercialization of

Tea Production

No

Yes

To Min of

Science & Tech

Rs 492

Million

21

Mega Project

Boosting Fodder

Availability

No

Yes

To Min of

Science & Tech

Rs 611

Million

22

Mega Project

Neelibar Agri. Res.

No

Yes to

Min of Sc. & Tech

Rs 348

Million

23

Mega Project

Benazir Bhutto

Res. Station

No

Yes

To Min of

Science & Tech

Rs 916

Million

24

Mega Project

Pak China Coop

No

Yes to

Min of Sc. & Tech

Rs 691

Million

25

Mega Project

Indigenization of

Hybrid Seed Prod

No

Yes

To Min of

Science & Tech

Rs 655

Million

26

Mega Project

Pak China Rice

No

Yes to

Min of Sc. & Tech

Rs 433

Million

27

Mega Project

Pak China Cold

storage

No

Yes

To Min of

Science & Tech

Rs 2,229

Million

28

Mega Project

National Institute of

Genomics

No

Yes

To Min of

Science & Tech

Rs 482

Million

29

Mega Project

Water Conservation

No

Yes

To Min of Power

Rs 18,000

Million

30

Miscellaneous

Projects  

No

Yes to

Min of Sc. & Tech

 

 

Conclusion: It is evident that nothing is going to change after so called devolution and the ministry may be re-established with a new name within few days to continue business as usual. Chief Minister of Punjab has raised his concerns on the superficial process of devolution without handing over of assets and infrastructure in case of all devolved ministries. In return the movement of wheat from Punjab (to Balochistan and for export) through Sindh has been subjected to 'Private Tax' levied by private army of a sitting Sindh Minister.



Muhammad Boota Sarwar

H#193, Street#42

Margala Town, Phase II

Islamabad.

Ph#0519241485

Cell#03003003405

Email:msarwar80@hotmail.com

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