Mismanagement

[Lahore_Real_Estate]

PM secretariat concerned over CMT courses

By Ikram Junaidi

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister’s Secretariat (Public) has taken notice of the fact that National Vocational and Technical Education Commission (NAVTEC) has shown slow progress and mismanagement in “Short Term Skill Development Courses”. This programme works under Prime Minister’s Special Initiatives for Hunarmand Pakistan Programme at College of Medical Technology (CMT)-PIMS Islamabad and also instructed them to take steps to redress problem.

According to letter No 48/RD (NAVTEC) Isb/Trg/2985-B issued to principle CMT-PIMS, with the signature of Director Muhammad Nadeem Butt, obtained by this scribe, mentions that “the competent authority has reviewed the progress of the project. The project, due to its slow-moving pace has not been able to fully achieve the given target as envisaged in the PC-1. During monitoring of the project certain shortcomings had also been observed which were brought to the notice of the authorities concerned but no noticeable improvement could be brought about to achieve the desired progress”.

Letter further mentions that so many irregularities have been observed from the management of CMT. Late payment of monthly stipend and non-provision of training material to the trainees have become a routine. Late payment of remuneration to the instructional and non-instructional staff and late submission of monthly expenditure to NAVTEC have been observed.

In letter it was mentioned that non following of training plan envisaged in the PC-1 and undue delay in finalising project related matters e.g. payment of remuneration to the instructional and non-instructional staff, approval of expenditure claims, result of students, preparation and submission of certificates of the pass-outs etc.

Director, Muhammad Nadeem Butt has intimated if immediate remedial measures were not taken for redressal of the situation, the NAVTEC would not be in position to continue its further collaboration and had to explore possibilities for finding other partners for effective implementation of its programmes. The letter further state that NAVTEC will not allow any expenditure, incurred by the management during undue pauses/halt occurred in the training activities.

Ministry of Health’s Director General (DG), Abdul Rasheed Juma while talking to Daily Times said that he would ask about the delay in payments and irregularities in CMT.

Joint Executive Director (JED) of PIMS, Syed Iqbal Raza said while talking to Daily Times that he would talk to concern officers of CMT to solve the problems.

National Assembly’s Chairman Standing Committee on Health Dr Nadeem Ehsan said that he would look into the matter. He said that at the moment he was out of the city, after reaching Islamabad he would see if that matter could be brought in committee’s agenda.