ISLAMABAD, Feb 2: Senate Functional Committee on Problems of Less Developed Areas has called upon the Planning Commission and the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to evolve a comprehensive and measurable criteria to assess the status of underdevelopment of areas all over the country.

According to a press release, the committee made this observation during its meeting held here on Wednesday under the chairmanship of Senator Mir Wali Mohammad Badini. The committee observed that there had been unnecessary delays in the execution of development schemes by the implementing agencies in the provinces.

It unanimously directed the Planning Commission to prepare a detailed list of respective development schemes and provide the information to the committee. The committee also asked the quarters concerned to furnish the provincial break up of jobs created under the Tameer-i- Pakistan programme.

It further observed that steps should be taken to cut short the lengthy procedure for the approval/execution of development schemes in the respective constituencies of senators. It recommended that senators be involved to monitor execution of their uplift schemes and the matter be referred to the prime minister for seeking his approval.

The committee decided to hold series of meetings in provincial capitals to ascertain the actual status of development schemes being executed by the provincial governments so as to ensure removal of bottlenecks and speedy completion of development schemes.

The meeting was attended senators Mir Wali Mohammad Badini, Bibi Yasmeen Shah, Mohammad Amjad Abbas, Sanaullah Baloch, Nawab Mohammad Ayaz Khan Jogezai and Amanullah Kanrani. Senior officers of the Planning Commission and Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development were also present in the meeting.