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Annual plan:

clarification

RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: A spokesman of the Planning and Development Division clarifying a news item said on Wednesday that the Planning Commission (PC) is already working in full swing on all priority exercises including development plans.

The spokesman said that public sector development plan (PSDP) and summary annual plan are released with the national budget while detailed annual plan would be formulated keeping in view the changes made in the budget by parliament and new policy measures announced by the government including fiscal, monetary and trade policies and actual performance of various sectors of economy during the year.

He further said, the draft detailed annual plan was almost ready in the Planning Commission in September/October 1999, but due to change in the government, it needed revision in the light of the Economic Revival Package announced by the Chief Executive on Dec. 15, 1999. Now, these new policies have been reflected in the detailed annual plan which at present is in the process of approval, the spokesman added.

Referring to the Ninth Five Year Plan, he said the last regime could not finalise the plan due to differences among the provinces on certain issues. Two years of the plan period have already lapsed.

He said the new government has formulated a long-term programme for revival of and strengthening economy. As such, a new medium term programme is being formulated by the commission incorporating the vision of the present government.

Regarding the rightsising in the commission, the spokesman said that the restructuring policy of the present government is applicable to all ministries including the Planning Commission. Certainly the aim is to improve the efficiency of the government employees and to ensure good governance, he concluded.