960407

Ecnec approves

projects costing

Rs 2775.26 mln

ISLAMABAD: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), which held its meeting here Sunday with Adviser to PM for Finance and Economic. Affairs, V. A. Jafarey in the chair approved projects in communication, environment and water and power sectors costing Rs. 2775.26 million.

A project for establishing the Forest Nurseries on 6000 acres in all the four provinces, Islamabad Capital Territory, AJ&K and Northern Areas was approved, said a Handout. It would produce 600 to 700 million planting stock of different tree species which would increase the total production of saplings from 200 to 300 million at present, to one billion saplings per annum to meet the projected tree planting targets. The project would be implemented over a period of three years.

The Ecnec formed a Steering Committee with the Secretary Environment and Urban Affairs as the Chairman with members from provincial governments to review the progress on the project to achieve the desired results.

The Ecnec also approved a Project for Improvement of Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA) in Pakistan for improving and integrating government financial management at federal and provincial levels. The project after completion would produce accurate, timely and meaningful accounts to cater the needs of users. After its implementation it would lead to improvement in the fiscal reporting and auditing and would assist the executive branch in effective public policy decision-making and constructive system-based audit practice so as to enable the government managers to perform their task more efficiency, economically and effectively.

One committee was formed under the chairmanship of Deputy Chairman Planning Commission and consisting of all the provincial finance ministers as its members to supervise implementation of the project and another committee was formed in the Finance Division at the functionary level to implement the project.

The Ecnec was informed that the Prime Minister Secretariat presently under construction, would be completed during the current year.

The committee also reviewed quarterly report on the position of schemes dealt with by the CDWP during the period October-December, 1995.

The meeting was attended by the ministers of education, food and agriculture and information and broadcasting, provincial ministers, deputy chairman, planning commission, concerned secretaries and other senior officials of the concerned ministries.-APP