March 03, 2007	Saturday	Safar 13, 1428

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ISLAMABAD, March 2: The World Bank has asked the government to "effectively decentralise" its various tiers to remove corrupt practises and mismanagement from the administrative and financial management structure, Dawn has learnt.

Informed sources said on Friday that the bank had told Islamabad that good governance and transparency would elude the country unless the existing governance was improved.Pakistan must "address the gaps, grey areas and incapacities in its governance system," the sources said, quoting the World Bank.

The bank said that human resource development remains to be the "critical element" to deliver and realise the fruition of decentralisation and devolution across Pakistan. Initially, the bank has assured to offer $61 million for institutional strengthening and capacity building of officers of Punjab.

Once this experience is succeeded, more funding could be made available for undertaking similar reforms in other three provinces.

The Punjab government, sources said, was developing a comprehensive capacity building framework in the province for ensuring sustainability of institutional reforms.

The framework outlines the training policy and major training interventions of the provincial government. It is being developed in consultation with various stakeholders.

The government has already signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Civil Services College International (CSCI), Singapore for developing a long-term capacity building partnership. Under the agreed MoU, CSCI and the government of Punjab would finalise professional development courses for the officers both in Singapore and Pakistan.

Similar, MoUs will also be signed with local as well as international training institutions of repute.

Civil servants will be sent abroad on long-term training programme in selected areas of public policy, public administration and public finance to acquire skills, expertise and savoir faire needed to confirm to the optimal level of policy performance.Officers to be sent abroad for degree courses availing scholarship will, however, be required to fill a surety bond and furnish an undertaking as designed and enjoined upon by the government.

Punjab capacity building framework encompasses the training and capacity building needs and training assessment analysis of the provincial government departments.

It aims at identifying key areas of policy formulation and execution and decision making in each department and organisation where the requite skills are badly needed.

Sources said that in view of the proposed creation of district service cadres, natural requirement for institutional strengthening and training and capacity building has come to the fore.

So that the management, provisioning and delivery of services could be made effective at the local level.

The World Bank has been informed that the capacity building component is meant to accelerate and improve the working of Punjab government.