|
|
| February 25, 2006 | Saturday | Muharram 26, 1427 |
CDA gets more financial, administrative powers: PM okays restructuring plan
ISLAMABAD, Feb 24: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Friday approved greater financial and administrative powers for the Capital Development Authority (CDA) but stressed that it should develop a culture which fosters transparency, talent and skill and encourages private investment and community participation.
An official source told Dawn that the prime minister made the remarks presiding over a meeting at the Prime Minister’s House on restructuring and modernization of the authority.
Prime Minister Aziz directed the body to focus on easing the housing problem in the federal capital, expediting development works, outsourcing specialised functions and enforcing the law strictly.
The source quoted the premier as saying “the core objective of CDA is to transform Islamabad into a modern metropolis,”
Under the restructuring plan, the CDA chairman has been given more administrative and financial powers.
The authority would be able to recruit fresh employees, purchase new vehicles and take decisions on financial matters without seeking approval from the higher government forum, the source said.
The restructuring was aimed at enhancing the capacity and improving the efficiency of the authority to ensure a smooth completion of development projects and provision of basic amenities to the residents of the capital.
CDA BOARD: The prime minister approved expansion of the CDA board by inducting honorary members with a balanced composition of government representatives, professionals, members of civil society and public representatives.
About 10 new members would be inducted enhancing the total strength of the board to 15, the source said. The advisory members of the board would be structure engineers, town planners, architects, lawyers and environmentalists.
RIGHTSIZING: The prime minister observed that distribution of employees in the CDA directorates was not balanced as a result of which some of the Capital Development Authority departments were understaffed.
In order to have a proper distribution of staff, the prime minister directed the CDA to conduct rightsizing without expelling or retiring any employee.
COMPUTERISATION OF LAND RECORD: The prime minister also directed the authority to computerise the land record in order to remove complications in allotment and transfer of land cases.
“The automation of the all CDA directorates, especially land, estate management and revenue, is being done to plug all loopholes and avoid any chance of malpractice, the source said.
ENFORCEMENT AND VIGILANCE WING: The prime minister approved establishment of an Enforcement and Vigilance Wing in the authority to ensure strict enforcement of laws.
“The CDA should not allow any illegal construction and take steps to stop such constructions at the initial stages,” the prime minister said.
The wing would be established by picking up surplus staff from different directorates.
REAL ESTATE AND HOUSING: In order to attract real state developers of international repute, the prime minister directed the CDA to take special measures to facilitate them.
He directed the authority to create a conducive atmosphere for the builders so that the ongoing housing projects affected by the overall slum in real estate business and October 8 quake, could be completed in the shortest possible time.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PARK: The prime minister emphasised the need for expediting work on establishment of a Science and Technology Park in Sector I-12 to develop a suitable space for technology-based foreign companies to initiate their functions in Pakistan.
The park will be set up in collaboration with the Ministry of Information Technology, educational institutions and private sector financial institutions.
OUTSOURCING: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz also approved a proposal for outsourcing several functions of the CDA so that the authority could concentrate on development-oriented activities.
Earlier, the Capital Development Authority chairman, Kamran Lashari, gave a presentation outlining various steps to implement the prime minister’s directives to transform CDA into a modern urban management organization.
He also presented proposals for right-sizing, human resource development, capacity building, automation of record, transfer of maintenance functions, outsourcing of various functions, hiring of legal firms and formation of a Citizens Advisory Body.
Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, Member Engineering Brigadier Ghulam Akbar Bokhari, Member Planning Brigadier Nusratullah and other senior officials also attended the briefing.
|
|
