28 April 2005	Thursday	18 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1426

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ISLAMABAD, April 27: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Health has recommended that duration of the Women Health Project be extended in order to fully utilize the funds allocated for the programme. The standing committee met at the Parliament House here on Wednesday under the chairmanship of MNA Dr Hajra Tariq Aziz.

The committee said as there was no check by the Centre on the provincial governments to monitor the project, therefore, a procedure be devised whereby parliamentarians would coordinate with the provincial governments to expedite work on the project in their respective constituencies.

The committee also called for undertaking similar projects in 37 more underserved districts.

The health ministry officials informed the meeting that the Rs3,683 million project primarily focused on 20 underserved districts of the four provinces.

They observed that utilization of funds under the project was poor due to lack of managerial capabilities.

Giving the breakdown, they said the federal government had utilized 70 per cent funds, Punjab 24 per cent, NWFP 41 per cent, Sindh 77 per cent and Balochistan 41 per cent.