Implementation Commission reviews devolution proposals

ISLAMABAD – Devolution of organs, attached departments, autonomous and semi-autonomous institutions in the five ministries which are to be devolved to provinces in the second phase were discussed by the implementation commission on 18th Constitutional Amendment in a review meeting on Monday.
Important Decisions on the fate of these ministries were taken, sources informed Pakistan Today.
“The Establishment Division (ED), Cabinet Division and the ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) submitted their proposals for devolving five more ministries to the provinces and the meeting discussed these proposals. Moreover, the ministries also briefed the meeting on their arrangements vis-a-vis the devolution plan,” added the source.
The source said the commission is still viewing the proposals till its next meeting on Tuesday.
“The commission will hear the points of view of federal ministers, chairmen standing committees and secretaries who are against the devolution after it has gone over these proposals,” added the source.
In the second phase of devolution plan, the ministries of health, education, culture, social welfare and special education and tourism are to be devolved to the provinces by February-end.
The total strength of employees of these 5 ministries is about 44,000, of which the strength of ministry of education is 22,573, tourism is 1022, health is 12,964, culture is 1581 and social welfare and special education is 4866.
Details of buildings, ongoing projects, loans and the procedure of transferring employees to provinces were also discussed, the source said.
“The employees will be transferred to the respective administrations of the provinces and federal areas – ICT, FATA, Gilgit-Baltistan – under section 10 of the Civil Servants Act 1973, pending formulation of a new enabling law on the subject,” added the source.
The employees working in any ministry being abolished and working in Islamabad Capital Territory will be adjusted in other ministries/departments and none of the employees will be retrenched/laid off. The source said the funds for the transferred activities/manpower of these five ministries budgeted in the year 2010-11 will be transferred to the provinces/federal territories on pro-rata basis.