Islamabad (Web Desk): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday directed the relevant authorities to conduct third party validation of all the development projects worth of over Rs2 billion.
Chairing a review meeting regarding Electronic Procurement, e-Pak Acquisition and Disposal System/e-PADS at the PM House, the prime minister directed the relevant authorities to ensure third party validation to make the grievances and concerns redressal system effective in relation to the procurement process.
PM Shehbaz said that the grievance redressal system with respect to procurement process should not be under the procuring agency.
He also directed measures for amendments in the rules and regulations in this regard.
The premier said that the government is taking measures to introduce transparent procedures for all types of government purchases.
He expressed dissatisfaction over delay in implementation of the project and also showed concerns over its quality.
PM Shehbaz also ordered to complete the project within a month.
In the meeting, the prime minister was also briefed on e-procurement.
He was told that the e-procurement project was launched by Public Procurement Regulatory Authority in 2017 with World Bank funding worth USD 45 million.
The prime minister was informed that e-procurement had been implemented in 37 ministries and 301 procuring agencies of the federal government. PPRA has so far trained some 8,988 officials of procuring agencies.
Furthermore, it was told that federal government’s e-procurement volume was about Rs 1551 billion.
The meeting was informed that MoUs have also been signed with the governments of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (ajk) regarding e-procurement.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb, Minister for Economic Affairs Division Ahad Khan Cheema, Minister for Petroleum Musadik Malik, PM’s Coordinator Rana Ihsaan Afzal and other relevant high officials.