ISLAMABAD July 25: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said the government would transform the Planning Commission into an overarching professional and multi-dimensional organization with expertise in contemporary disciplines.

He was speaking at the first meeting of the commission after its restructuring at the prime minister house on Tuesday.

“According to our vision,” he said, “the Planning Commission as an apex body transcends the federal and provincial ministries and coordinates with them to ensure that various development policies and programmes are complimentary and in line with the set strategies and priorities.”

Mr Aziz said the commission also needed to work as a think tank to develop scenarios and suggest policy options. He said the commission had to help the government achieve food, energy and water security and develop modern infrastructure.

He said water supply, drainage and sewerage system across the country required special attention and the commission should come up with a short- medium and long-term plan to deal with the problem as it was directly and adversely impacting the people’s health.

In those disciplines in which the commission had expertise, it should draw upon technical talent and resources available with the donor agencies, private sector, civil society and the academia, the prime minister said.

Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, Dr Akram Sheikh, said the commission would work on an integrated plan focusing on optimal utilisation of resources, maximizing output and productivity, minimizing wastage, sustained GDP growth, achievement of Millennium Development Goals, preparing for knowledge-based economy and monitoring projects.

Mr Shaikh said that the commission would coordinate with ministries concerned and provincial governments to ensure that various policies and programmes were complementary and in line with the laid-down strategies and priorities. The commission will also prepare policy papers for decision-making.