‘ISLAMABAD: Mini­ster for Commu­nications Murad Saeed on Sunday reiterated the government’s resolve to ensure transparency, efficiency and maintain top standard and quality in all mega infrastructure development projects, besides ensuring their timely completion to make them cost-effective.

Speaking at a press conference, Mr Saeed said his ministry had decided to introduce e-tendering and e-billing system within 60 days to ensure transparency and accountability across the board to eradicate the menace of corruption from the country.

He said it had been decided to conduct a third-party audit of six mega-development projects in the first phase, adding that the cost of these projects had witnessed unprecedented increase of billions of rupees.

Mr Saeed said that another 34 projects which had witnessed an increase in their cost due to delay in work within the time frame would be examined and the people responsible for causing the delay would be punished.

The minister said that in order to implement the prime minister’s austerity drive, his ministry would auction all its 42 luxury vehicles along with 177 others, which would save Rs30 million used for maintenance of these vehicles. He said the auction process of these luxury vehicles would be completed within a week.

The minister said that two guest houses would be opened for general public as a tourist resort after upgrading these places in collaboration with the private sector on a build, operate and transfer basis (BOT).

He said the lake in front of these guest houses would also be used for promotion of water sports and revenue generation, adding that anti-encroachment campaigns would also be launched to free properties and land of the National Highways and Motorways.

The minister said his ministry would also be part of the prime minister’s billion tree plantation programme in collaboration with other stakeholders, adding that special measures would be put on place to ensure survival of these trees. He said survival audit would also be conducted for these trees.

Mr Saeed said that in future developmental projects would be initiated on a BOT and public-private partnership basis to keep focus on the agriculture development, tourism promotion and to ensure environmental protection.

He said that initiation of development projects would help provide jobs to skilled and semi-skilled workforce in the country and fulfil the prime minister’s vision of creating 10 million jobs.

The minister said his ministry would also launch a mobile application within 45 days, which would provide details of the projects, including their costs and time of completion and the amount released for these projects, to ensure transparency and enhance sense of ownership by the people.

The NHA would also launch another mobile phone application ‘Pasban’, which would keep updated the road users about the weather and road conditions across the country to facilitate the passengers as well as make their journey more safe and comfortable.

Published in Dawn, September 24th, 2018