**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 18^th 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 18^th 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