Standing Committee proposes amendments in NCHD bill
By Adnan Rafique

ISLAMABAD—The meeting of Standing Committee was held under the Chairmanship of Ahmed Raza Maneka here on Tuesday.
The agenda of the meeting included The National Commission for Human Development (Amendment) Bill, 2007(Ord, No.XXXVII of 2007), and General Briefing on Public Procurement Regularity Authority(PPRA). The Committee was informed that the National Commission for Human Development (Amendment)Bill,2007 (Ord, No.XXXVII of 2007) provides to curtail the tenure of the Chairman from five years to three years.
The committee commending the proposed amendment unanimously recommended to approve the above mentioned Bill.
The Committee was brief about the work, responsibility and performance of the public Procurement Regularity Authority(PPRA).
The Committee was informed that the PPRA since its inception in 2002 haveregulated public procurements of the Federal Government entities and objectives are to develop a modern, transparent, cost effective public procurement system based on International practices. As a result uniformity in public procurements and transparency, accountability and effective competition have been ensured.
The Committee was informed that a training programme for Government officials have been devised in November,2006 where by sins 600 officials of the procuring agencies have imparted training. The Committee was informed that the PPRA has no power to punish the violator of the procurement rules, and cases of such violators are referred to the NAB for that purpose.
The Committee recommended that PPRA be authorized to punish the violatoragency/department their selves so that objectives of transparency and quality of public procurement can be achieved. Among others, the meeting was attended by Makhdum Syed Ahmed Alam Anwer, Onaza Ehsan, Rehman Naseer Chaudhary, Abdul Majeeb Pirzada, Muhammad Faiz Tamman, and Abid Ali Umang.