ISLAMABAD   -  To fast track the approval of the developmental projects, the government has massively increased the sanctioning limits for the DDWP, CDWP and ECNEC.

The Prime Minister of Pakistan in his capacity as chairman National Economic Council is pleased to revise the sanctioning limits of various developmental forums including DDWP, CDWP and ECNEC, officials documents available with The Nation reveals.

As per documents, the sanctioning limits of the Departmental Development Working Party (DDWP) have been enhanced from Rs 60 million to Rs 2 billion, the sanctioning limits of the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) have been increased from up to Rs 3 billion to Rs 10 billion while the sanction limits of Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has been enhanced from above Rs 3 billion to above Rs 10 billion.

The DDWP is chaired by federal secretary and was authorized to approve the projects up to the cost of Rs 60 million and was recommending above the limit projects to the CDWP for approval. Similarly the CDWP was authorized to approve the projects worth up to Rs 3 billion and was recommending the projects worth Rs 3 billion or above to the ECNEC for approval.

Meanwhile, a source in the ministry of planning said that the earlier sanctioning limit was creating hurdles in the swift approval and was causing delay in the execution of the projects as the ministries and divisions had to wait for the CDWP approval even for the projects worth Rs 61 million. Now, the secretary of the ministry is empowered to approve the projects up to worth Rs 2 billion as now it does not require the nod of the Planning Commission. However, the source said that the mode of the approval by the DDWP has yet to be decided and it is likely that the composition of DDWP may change.

The Planning Commission was over burdened by small projects and after the revised sanctioning limits will be free to concentrate more deeply on projects above than Rs 2 billion. It will reduce the number of projects being considered by the CDWP and will fast track the approval, the source added. Now there is no need to recommend

The ECNEC is chaired by Minister/Advisor finance and has the authority to approve projects worth Rs 3 billion. After the revised sanctioning limit now its sanction limits starts above Rs 10 billion which will reduce the number of the projects being considered by the ECNEC and will fast track the approval of the projects.