The matter is getting more serious at least for ADB as its delegation is coming to Pakistan some time next month to take up the matter for improvement in this area of vital importance.
The delegation was due in Islamabad in the current month but delayed the visit due to the earthquake.
Sources told Business Recorder on Monday that ADB teams have been raising the issue at different levels and demanding that the pace of work at delayed projects should be expedited.
According to sources, around 24 ADB funded projects fall in the category of dissatisfactory implementation, and the bank wants improvement to ensure their timely implementation. They claim that in some cases delay is of even more than three years and even extension in deadline could not make the government move to the expectations of ADB.
They quote projects like the programme of judicial reforms and police reforms, revamping of water courses in Punjab, project initiated for promotion of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), federally administered tribal area (Fata) uplift programme and various other uplift projects undertaken by the provinces to increase the income of women and low income group, in particular, the in rural area in support of their arguments.
Similarly, some of the ADB funded projects could not take off due to one reason or the other.
An Islamabad based official of the ADB said " Delay in implementation of some of the key projects related to institutional reforms and welfare of the people is a serious concern to the bank and its team is coming to Pakistan to take up the matter with the authorities".
Sources said a two-member ADB review mission, which visited Islamabad early this month raised the issue with the advisor to the Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Dr Salman Shah and demanded that the government should take the matter seriously to avoid inordinate in implementation of its funded projects.
According to sources Salman assured the delegation that he would personally look into the matter and make it sure that ADB funded projects did not suffer for any reason. Dr Salman also assured the delegation to take up the matter with the provinces to push them to improve their implementation and monitoring system of the foreign funded projects.