Oversight of 21 Key PSDP Projects Handed to Few Senior Officers, Including VC PIDE

The Ministry of Planning, Development & Special Initiatives (MoPDSI) has assigned key oversight roles for Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) projects to a select group of senior officers, including the Vice Chancellor (VC) of the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE). These officers have been tasked with overseeing 21 major projects. Sources told ProPakistani the ministry’s move aims to ensure stricter monitoring and expedited implementation of PSDP projects by assigning senior officials to oversee the timely submission of PC-III reports and ensure that the objectives outlined in PC-I documents are effectively achieved. However, the allocation of high-profile projects to certain favored officials, notably the VC of PIDE, has raised eyebrows within bureaucratic circles. Often described as the blue-eyed boy of the Planning Ministry’s top brass, the current VC PIDE has been handed responsibility for four major projects in addition to his existing duties. These include the Competitive Grants Programme for policy-oriented research, feasibility and construction of PIDE’s new campus at H-16, Islamabad, the Centre of Excellence for CPEC, a counterpart to China’s NDRC Academy of Macroeconomic Research, and the CPEC Secretariat. Other senior figures have also received substantial assignments. The Additional Secretary (Admin/Org) will head the Capacity Building & Institutional Strengthening of the MoPDSI project. The Chief Economist takes charge of the National Economic Transformation and 5Es Unit, as well as other performance audit projects. The Member (Governance) will lead high-impact social sector initiatives, including the Social Sector Accelerator (SSA) for Health, Nutrition, Education, Youth & Gender (HNEYG), the PM’s Innovation Support & Startup Grants, the Rising Together Project for the 20 poorest districts, and the Apex Committee on Socio-Political Peace & Development. The Member (Dev. Com) has been given the Development Communication Project and the National Centre for Brand Development (NCBD). The Member (Science & Tech) is tasked with IT capacity building in the Planning Ministry. The Member (Infrastructure) will manage post-flood reconstruction efforts in Balochistan, as well as major infrastructure programs under IFRAP. The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics will spearhead the Change of Base of National Accounts from 2015-16 to 2024-25. Dr. Mubarak Ali has been handed the National Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Programme, aimed at combating malnutrition and stunting. When contacted for official comments, the Secretary of the Ministry of Planning, Development & Special Initiatives did not respond to queries by ProPakistani.