Privatisation unlimited!
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Punjab government is all set to auction many assets including godowns, rest houses, commercial and residential plots and agricultural land
State land and property must be used for the welfare of the masses. Governments never sell them. There is no doubt that Pakistan is passing through one of the most difficult times it has ever faced. Difficult times call for difficult remedies but not strange ones. Punjab government plans to sell state owned godowns, commercial and residential plots and 22000 acres agricultural land. The elected government instead of working on real issues of the masses is just obliging political workers and those who sponsored the ruling party?s election campaigns. It is feared that the grand auction plan may be misused to benefit the ruling party?s workers and friends.
The Punjab government tabled ?The Punjab privatization board bill 2010? in the provincial assembly in February. The bill was passed despite resentment of the opposition. Punjab Privatization Board has been established with the objective to sell Punjab government?s assets. These assets are stated to be liability for the government. The intended aim is to collect funds for the projects of poverty alleviation and developmental programmes for the masses. Nazar Muhammad Chohan is Chairman of the Punjab Privatization Board. Muhammad Ashiq is serving as Secretary.
The Punjab Privatization Board carried out a competitive, fair and transparent process for evaluating price of the properties of the government. It provides a mechanism to address the disputes regarding privatization and provision for ancillary matters,? Chohan said while explaining the working of the Board to Sunday Plus.
We are going to auction redundant assets of the Punjab government that consisted of rest houses, agricultural land, godowns and expensive plots in the urban areas. We have to get Rs 12 billion through auctioning these properties. These are all properties with clear titles. It is hard target set by the government in budget. Last year Rs 3.5 billion was collected,? he claimed
For evaluating process the services of four professional companies namely, Iqbal A Nanji, Indus Surveyors, Trisar Price Limited and Asif Associates have been acquired. They will evaluate the government?s assets according to the market rate. All these evaluating companies are registered under the State Bank of Pakistan,? he explained.
He said that to ensure transparency, each asset would be publicised through giving ads in the leading Urdu and English dailies. Twice the advertisements will be published in the newspapers. ?Actually our department just arranges the auction events and make sure the fulfilment of legalities regarding the sale of assets. We don?t interfere in the financial matters,? Chohan explained.
Due to recession we are so far unable to auction Lahore?s newly constructed ministers? block and godowns located in Badami Bagh and Gulberg. According to the list, we will auction more than 800 properties of the different departments and more than 22000 acres agricultural land across the province.
It is just a rumour that the Governor?s House of Lahore is being sold. The government has no such intention.
?If the property is worth below Rs 20 million then DCO (District Coordinating Officer) has the authority to auction. If the asset is more than Rs 21 to Rs 50 million worth the commissioner can auction them.
?If property is worth more than Rs 50 million the member of the board of revenue, chairman and other members of the committee can auction it.
The Punjab government has a number of properties that are unneeded, which can?t be handled like the veterinary hospital of Rahimyar Khan and Lahore?s wheat godowns which are located in the congested area of the city. These are old properties. After selling them government would be able to construct new infrastructures for wheat storage outside the city.
Most of the inquiries with regard to the sale of these properties have come from overseas Pakistanis. They have shown keen interest in bringing investment to their homeland. We would definitely appreciate their noble gesture.? Chohan explained.
Leader of the opposition in Punjab Assembly Ch. Zahir-ud-Din deplores the situation. ?Punjab government has no vision and wants to sell the assets. This is injustice to the people of Punjab.
Provincial rulers claim good governance but the reality is that it doesn?t exist anywhere in the province. With good governance public assets increase. It is bad governance when you sell your assets. One can easily judge the governance in the Punjab.
PML-Q would definitely resist the move to sell public property. I have moved the motion in the house. It is ridiculous to auction property to overcome the overdraft. These properties can be used in future for many purposes. They want to make money by auctioning these assets,? Zaheer alleged
Labels: Privatisation
posted by Dilshad Rao @ 1:18 PM,
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