Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Muhammad Jehanzeb Khan chaired the workshop on implementation strategy to implement simplifications of Development Processes / Procedures for improving Project Management already approved by ECNEC

Dated : 12 November 2020

Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Muhammad Jehanzeb Khan chaired the workshop on implementation strategy to implement simplifications of Development Processes / Procedures for improving Project Management already approved by ECNEC here in Islamabad on Thursday. The representatives of Federal Ministries, Divisions, Provincial governments and Departments attended the workshop.

The representatives shared their suggestions/views to implement the approved recommendations of the ECNEC on simplification of development processes for project management and further improve development processes.

DCPC Mohammad Jhenzeb said that the main ministries / departments will develop sectoral development vision and policy consistent with the national priorities/vision. The ministries and departments will have dedicated project planning and development units with appropriate human resource to design project documents in professional manner so that project deliverables can be achieved as per schedule.

While highlighting legal and financial matters, the projects should also hire a contract management legal specialist which would help in avoiding arbitration issues and also save the national funds. He stressed that feasibility of any project should include technical and economic guidelines including option analysis. He said that we have to get global and adopt modern practices by hiring qualified international consultants as money spent on good consultant is money saved on the project.

DCPC emphasized on improving development model. He further said that rather than procedures, we have to focus on results, and procedures have to be simplified to improve project management.
It is worth noting that PC-1 will now be digitized through the proposed automation process. The capacity of the officers involved in development processes will be enhanced through training in relevant fields/areas. In addition, the Project Director at the PC-I preparation stage of PC-I will be appointed. The project above Rs.3 billion will have an independent PD to be hired from market on competitive basis.

In relevance to release of funds, it was shared that Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Planning would further simplify procedures for release of funds and eliminate any bottlenecks that cause unnecessary delays in implementation of the development projects.