PESHAWAR, Aug 20: The National Commission for Government Reform (NCGR) has advised the federal government to transfer at least 33 departments and agencies working under nine federal ministries to provinces, the Northern Areas administration, Fata secretariat and the Islamabad Capital Territory Administration.

The government has also been asked to wind up 10 departments working under different ministries besides the merger of 15 others, a provincial government official told Dawn here on Monday.

According to him, a proposal relating to the proposed shifting of administrative control of these departments and agencies has been prepared by the NCGR and being reviewed by provinces.

The four provincial governments in quarterly meetings of the NCGR had raised the point that the federal government was running many institutions and projects that fall within their purview, the official explained.

The administrations of the Northern Areas and Capital Territory also want to get the control of departments and agencies that mainly meant for them, said the official and adding that this was the basic reason behind such proposal.

Social Welfare Training Institution and all centres working under Director General Special Education of Ministry of Social Welfare have been proposed to be shifted to the provinces.

Apart from transferring departments to the provinces, the NCGR had also recommended the liquidation or winding up of 10 federal departments.

These includes Pakistan Housing Authority, Abandoned Property Organization, Enemy Property Cell, Pakistan Automobile Corporation, Office of the Administrator, Jammu and Kashmir State Property in Pakistan, National Talent Pool, Evacuee Trust Property Board, National Commission for Social Welfare, National Trust for the Disabled Persons and National Council for the Rehabilitation of Displaced Persons.

The NCGR has also proposed merger of 15 departments and agencies with relevant bodies for brining efficiency in their operations, the official added.