All over the world development projects are being done and maintained by public sector departments. State owned departments including agriculture, railway, airline, health, education, water and electricity are responsible for introducing and launching new projects on priority basis. All relevant departments can arrange and reimburse funds on regular basis that’s why those countries never face problem during political power transitions after completing the tenure of any democratic government. Public sector departments of all developed countries and their structures are strong and entirely different from that of developing countries like ours.
In developing countries public sector departments are working to support political governments and are lax in proactiveness, and are either unable to suggest any need based projects or facilities that can improve the living standard of common people. This is in fact main the reason that our mega projects are delayed or sometime even face problems for sustainability of the ongoing projects.
In our country, we are also facing the same problem, our public sector departments never suggest any new need based projects, innovative ideas, suggestions for process improvement or cost cutting. Public servants are basically highly qualified and intelligent citizens of this country. But, unfortunately, due to the faulty structure of our public sector service system, they never give suggestions for the betterment of the ordinary man, although they are public servants and are being paid by public funds collected from the masses through direct or indirect taxes.
Public servants are basically highly qualified and intelligent citizens of this country. But, unfortunately, due to the faulty structure of our public sector service system, they never give suggestions for the betterment of the ordinary man, although they are public servants and are being paid by public funds collected from the masses through direct or indirect taxes
Although, provincial and federal public service commissions are selecting individuals suited best for the job and providing them with professional training to improve their managerial and planning skills. But still unfortunately, due to our other social problems like corruption, nepotism, favoritism and the sense of insecurity, these highly profiled officers become dependent on the decision of policy makers. So to keep themselves in good book of decision makers, these officers never utilize their professional skills or experience for other productive things that can improve the living standard of taxpayers.
Every person in this country is paying taxes either directly or indirectly and even in some cases they are suffering from double taxation because of the weak taxation system. All public servants are getting their salaries, bonuses, TAs and DAs from these funds collected by taxes. But unfortunately, civil servants and public sector departments are not taking care of their salary payers.
As stated earlier, either our relevant public sector departments are not capable enough to work to the same way they do in developed countries or some process improvement is required. We need to empower our government institutions at federal and provincial level as it was also clearly mentioned in the manifesto of the newly elected government.
Previously, all public interest projects were announced and started by political governments and whenever the government changed, the public interest projects were halted or disturbed which harmed the public. Sometimes new governments lose interest or neglect to continue ongoing projects of the previous governments as we observe in our country.
In developed countries, development funds are always released and consumed by relevant departments but in Pakistan these public funds are being granted and misused on political basis to retain or to get party projection.
New classrooms somewhere in rural area of Pakistan, Public transport projects in cities, main road networks, new wards in hospitals or even construction of small sanitation systems in any hamlet or village, all these minor and large projects are announced and inaugurated by MNAs or MPAs. What it means, is that our professional public servants are not aware of the need or of the importance of these small or mega projects.
Elected MNAs, MPAs, ministers and senators are also important in democratic systems but their role should be managerial, and should focus on making policies that improve the living standard of the public. They should monitor that public funds are being utilized properly or not. And only public sector departments should be responsible to start, launch and complete all developing projects.Source: https://dailytimes.com.pk/343302/how-development-projects-can-sustain-in-pakistan/
