By Faizullah Khan Niazi
Pakistan’s chequred history of socio-economic development mainly suffered due to political instability and fragile economic policy management which as a result marred continuity and consistency in the policy frame work. This led to in fructuous execution and implementation of development infrastructure particularly at grass roots level. The impact of development under trickle down policy of economic management in the distant past remained disparative among different regions of the country as some witnessed better prospects while other remained backward as usual. Although trickle down effect phenomena has now been replaced with community development/empowerment and public private partnership at grass roots level. This approach resulted in class conflict in the society mainly due to lack of basic facilities like potable water, basic education, health and social safety nets and poor infrastructure development at community level and at the same time equal opportunities for their economic well being in all fields remained a mere dream. The underlying fact is that roots of economic inequalities lie in the tremendous growth in population vis-à-vis scarce resources which caused to create rampant unemployment, high cost of living, soaring effect of inflation on common man till the recent past if believing GOP’s data, rising poverty, deepening energy crises, mounting costly domestic and external debt and lawlessness in the country. The menace of institutionalized corruption and religious extremism and militancy eroded not only the system but also severely damaged the fabric of society. Similar is the external threat as well. These and other similar factors caused to create a widening gap between haves and have not in the urban & rural population both. As a result sectoral growth retarded which equally affected industrial / manufacturing / agricultural and services sectors at all levels.
Moreover, tax Net could not be expanded to overcome the revenue shortfall with the result undocumented economy flourished in the country. Sadly, economic policy management issues could not be dealt with rationally in the past perspective and rather short term measures were resorted to though govt has claimed that it was striving for a prudent fiscal policy. Nevertheless, macroeconomic policy indicators slightly improved under the given circumstances still need a skillful and prompt handling to make them credit worthy. In this context, the IMF extended fund facility (EFF) temporarily bailed out govt as an adhoc arrangement and similarly world bank’s approval of projects under the country’s partnership strategy (CPS) in line with govt 4ES, Education, Economy, Energy and Elimination of terrorism policy would partially enhance trust on economic activity provided timely disbursement is made by the donor agency.
Obviously to implement country’s partnership strategy (CPS) in letter and spirit as per agreed arrangement between the World Bank and GOP it can be hoped that no over ambitious planning would take place during the process of project planning and management. The bank’s concern as has been in the past regarding sustainability issues are to be fully addressed at appropriate level by GOP. It is equally important that project management generic issues regarding efficient project management and timely releases of funds allocated in the PSDP are hardly taken care of to avoid projects slippage to slow moving category. However, it is yet to see that out of facility extended by the World Bank for education and improvement of economic lot of the community at grass roots level being a provincial subject under the devolution of powers amendment in the constitution what targets can be achieved. It can be expected that World Bank would make community education (formal and non formal) also an essential part of its agreed strategy with the GOP and provincial stake holders.
Taking community development and empowerment in view of World Bank & GOP mutually agreed country’s partnership strategy (CPS) regarding education and economic development, it should lay emphasis on grass roots level as primary and fundamental functions of related development infrastructure project lie in the efficient services delivery systems with a visible impact of change for the community. The entire process of elementary project planning and management has to be revisited in true perspective to keep all the stake holders on board and for this purpose local tiers could be district level and downward. There is an impression that non-governmental and other private participatory bodies can look after this important area alone to achieve respective program objectives is not possible. These areas of vital activities to improve socio- economic lot of the rural population living below the poverty line, of which number is increasing due to divergent factor contributing to economic inequality and disparity have resulted in significantly less benefits to poor segments of society. This is mainly because of delayed operationlization of local bodies system as viable institutional arrangement for empowerment remained in place and effective till the recent past from district to tehsil and down to the union council level.
The fact of matter is that devolution of powers from top to bottom as has been witnessed in the past encompassed merits of the system and made the community empowered and participative through local bodies and voters exercised their right to choose representatives for different tiers of local government.
The system brought the administration in the form of effective delivery mandated to the representatives under local government at the door step and identification of basic infrastructure planning and management and oversight remained vested to these bodies. Similarly, funds raising to support the budget through local taxes being a manageable tool for initial financial resource gave a sense of dependence and reliance on their own resources through empowerment and active participation. At the same time community’s sector wise priorities were formulated, executed and implemented in greater harmony with all stake holders primarily based on collective wisdom and information sharing among local bodies representatives and govt functionaries. All this provided foundation to generate development activities and give a sense of responsibility and awareness to the community to take care of their socio-economic uplift as per their vision. This enabled them to take maximum benefit out of the scare resourced without unnecessary outside interference. This scheme of things created not only empowerment but ownership in the community which enhanced the capacity of community in this regard. These could be dependable tools for the donors as well. By evolving this strategy the ultimate focus should remain mainly on the target groups to enhance enrolment in the educational institutions and provide better community services resultantly to alleviate poverty and over come religious or for that matter any kind of extremism in the society.
However, to save the community from socio-economic marginalization and to oversee the quality delivery in the distant areas of district and local bodies, things have to be re-aligned at the grass roots level through devolution of powers leaving the macro policy issues for provincial and federal govts respectively for effective policy planning and economic management.
*The writer can be reached at faizullahkhanniyazi@gmail.com