ISLAMABAD: The federal government has decided to speed up transferring ongoing development projects to provinces under the dissolved Public Works Department (PWD), requiring provinces to complete formalities within a week.

Chairing a meeting on Tuesday, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal stated that while the projects were being transferred to the provinces, the funds granted to them under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) would continue.

He requested provinces submit names of ministries overseeing projects slated for transfer to the Planning Division within a week.

It was agreed that the PSDP projects would be transferred to the provincial governments as soon as possible so that work on these projects could continue without hindrance.

The ongoing PWD projects in the federal capital will also be transferred to the Capital Development Authority and the relevant ministries. He clarified that the ongoing projects under the PWD are not being terminated but transferred to different institutions.

Balochistan has completed its work in this regard, and the remaining provinces should also provide complete details within a week.

For speedy and smooth transfer, these projects will be divided according to districts, and the deputy commissioner in each district will be made the focal person who, along with the PWD and the relevant departments, will complete all agreements randomly within four to five days.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2024