Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Asad Umar has directed all the stakeholders concerned to join heads for finalizing the draft strategy on Command Area Development (CAD) in southern Balochistan before submitting it to the Prime Minister for final approval.
Secretary Ministry of Water and Power Resources briefed the minister on the draft strategy during a meeting held to review the progress on the draft strategy. He said 40 water projects were being executed in Balochistan, which were funded by the federal government with an estimated cost of Rs. 273 billion. He said that Rs. 29 billion were allocated in the budget 2021-2022, adding that these projects would be completed in five years. He maintained that out of 40 projects, 10 projects had been completed with the cost of Rs. 2.0 billion.
The minister noted that “these projects will have a positive impact on the lives of local people which must be the top priority.” He ordered the Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, Secretary Planning, Development & Special Initiatives, and Chief Secretary Government of Balochistan to finalize the draft strategy.
He underlined that the human development aspect, which was the most important element, had not been properly addressed in the draft strategy.
“Our top priority should be to generate employment opportunities for the local people of Balochistan, particularly the locals of southern Balochistan, through these water projects,” said the minister. He stressed that the Water and Power Resources Ministry must focus on the missing ‘human development aspect’ in the draft strategy.
During the meeting, the secretary proposed engaging the private sector to assist the farmers of the local areas through these projects. He also proposed constituting a project management unit (PMU) chaired by Chief Minister Balochistan with Secretary Irrigation, Secretary Agriculture, and representatives of Water and Power Resources Ministry and the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives as its part. The PMU, he said, could monitor and facilitate the speedy implementation of CAD under the draft strategy.
Source: Pro Pakistani