It is not surprising to note that despite high sounding drum-beating of ‘Devolution of powers to Provinces’ nothing has been practically devolved under 18th Amendment in respect of policy decisions, financial controls and regulatory powers.
Everybody knows that the ministries exercise their powers and functions through attached Departments / Organizations. Take example of Federal ministry of food and agriculture; the subject was a provincial matter even before the 18th Amendment but all policy matters, foreign aid/loan and regulatory functions were exercised by the Federation.
Now notionally the ministry has been devolved to provinces but the situation on the ground is still as under;
Sr. | Attached Department / Mega Project |
Devolved to Provinces |
Shifted to Another Federal Ministry |
Remarks |
1 | Department of
Plant Protection |
No
|
Yes
To Min of Commerce
|
|
2
|
Seed Certification
& Registration
Department
|
No
|
Yes
To Min of
Science & Tech
|
|
3
|
Pakistan Agricultural
Storage and Services
Corporation
|
No
|
Yes
To Min of
commerce
|
|
4
|
Pakistan Agricultural
Research Council
|
No
|
Yes to
Min of Sc. & Tech
|
|
5
|
Pakistan Central
Cotton Committee
|
No
|
Yes
To Min of Textile
|
|
6
|
Pakistan Oilseed
Development Board
|
No
|
No
|
Closed
|
7
|
Soil Survey of
Pakistan
|
Yes
|
No
|
To
Punjab
|
8
|
Agriculture Policy
Institute
|
No
|
Yes to
Min of Planning
|
|
9
|
Economic Wing
|
No
|
Yes to
Min of Planning
|
|
10
|
WTO Cell
|
No
|
Yes to
Min of Econ. Affairs
|
|
11
|
Animal Quarantine
Department
|
No
|
Yes
To Min of Commerce
|
|
12
|
Federal Water
Management Cell
|
No
|
Yes
To Min of Power
|
|
13
|
Pakistan Tobacco
Board
|
No
|
Yes to
Min of Sc. & Tech
|
|
14
|
Pakistan
Horticulture Board
|
No
|
Yes
To Min of Commerce
|
|
15
|
Mega Project
NAPHIS
|
No
|
Yes
To Min of Commerce
|
Rs 773
Million
|
16
|
Mega Project
Vegetable Hybrid
Seed Production
|
No
|
Yes
To Min of
Science & Tech
|
Rs 500
Million
|
17
|
Mega Project
Bio-saline
Agriculture
|
No
|
Yes
To Min of
Science & Tech
|
Rs 826
Million
|
18
|
Mega Project
Crop Maximization
|
No
|
Yes to
Min of Sc. & Tech
|
Rs 8,013
Million
|
19
|
Mega Project
National Commercial
Seed Production
|
No
|
Yes
To Min of
Science & Tech
|
Rs 3,500
Million
|
20
|
Mega Project
Commercialization of
Tea Production
|
No
|
Yes
To Min of
Science & Tech
|
Rs 492
Million
|
21
|
Mega Project
Boosting Fodder
Availability
|
No
|
Yes
To Min of
Science & Tech
|
Rs 611
Million
|
22
|
Mega Project
Neelibar Agri. Res.
|
No
|
Yes to
Min of Sc. & Tech
|
Rs 348
Million
|
23
|
Mega Project
Benazir Bhutto
Res. Station
|
No
|
Yes
To Min of
Science & Tech
|
Rs 916
Million
|
24
|
Mega Project
Pak China Coop
|
No
|
Yes to
Min of Sc. & Tech
|
Rs 691
Million
|
25
|
Mega Project
Indigenization of
Hybrid Seed Prod
|
No
|
Yes
To Min of
Science & Tech
|
Rs 655
Million
|
26
|
Mega Project
Pak China Rice
|
No
|
Yes to
Min of Sc. & Tech
|
Rs 433
Million
|
27
|
Mega Project
Pak China Cold
storage
|
No
|
Yes
To Min of
Science & Tech
|
Rs 2,229
Million
|
28
|
Mega Project
National Institute of
Genomics
|
No
|
Yes
To Min of
Science & Tech
|
Rs 482
Million
|
29
|
Mega Project
Water Conservation
|
No
|
Yes
To Min of Power
|
Rs 18,000
Million
|
30
|
Miscellaneous
Projects
|
No |
Yes to
Min of Sc. & Tech
|
|
Conclusion: It is evident that nothing is going to change after so called devolution and the ministry may be re-established with a new name within few days to continue business as usual. Chief Minister of Punjab has raised his concerns on the superficial process of devolution without handing over of assets and infrastructure in case of all devolved ministries. In return the movement of wheat from Punjab (to Balochistan and for export) through Sindh has been subjected to ‘Private Tax’ levied by private army of a sitting Sindh Minister.
writer is a social activist and critics of Pakistani politics.
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