ISLAMABAD, April 30: The National Assembly standing committee on planning and development in its meeting on Friday asked the Planning Division to work for adoption of a new vision of the socio-economic development of Pakistan besides reviewing its various ongoing projects.

Sardar Bahadur Khan, MNA, presided over the meeting. The committee stressed maintenance of balance in development strategies for all sectors with special emphasis on agriculture. It was also observed that the quality and productivity must be key words for achieving economic sovereignty.

Taking a serious view of delay in implementation and increase in the cost of "Re-modelling of Thal Canal Project", the committee directed the Planning Division to approach the Punjab government to submit a detailed report in this respect before mid-July this year.

The representatives of relevant departments of the Punjab government briefed the committee on the subject. The committee was highly critical of the changes made in the design of the project time and again, appointment of consultants, not taking in view the environment factor in the project, inappropriate planning, delay in implementation and an unprecedented increase in the cost of the project.

It also observed that the project was of utmost importance for the people of those areas, where the canal ran. It directed the relevant quarters to work for the completion of the project at the earliest.

Construction of Eastern Carriageway of Islamabad Highway from Gumrah bridge to Rawat also come under detailed discussion and minute scrutiny of the committee. It found the quality of work on bridges on the road neither satisfactory nor updated, the attitude of the contractors and some of the officials non-serious and the action taken against some of the officials not sufficient.

The chairman directed the project implementation agency, CDA, to complete the work at the earliest and submit a report on causes of delay and inefficiency within one month.

Among the members, who attended the meeting were Shaukat Aziz, minister in charge of Planning and Development Division, MNAs Rehman Naseer Chaudhry, Zulfiqar Ahmad Dhillon, Ch Bilal Ejaz, Ms Mehreen Anwar Raja, Ms Shehzadi Umerzadi Tiwana, Syed Javed Ali Shah Jillani, Amjad Ali Warraich, Mohammad Hussain Mehanti, Hakim Qari Gul Rehman, Ms Razia Aziz, Hizbullah Bughio, Rukhsana Bangash and Sardar Saleem Jan Mazari apart from deputy chairman Planning Commission, the CDA chairman and other high officials of the quarters concerned.