ISLAMABAD-To accommodate more new development schemes of the coalition partners in the upcoming Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), the government has granted relaxation in National Economic Council (NEC) deadline for the submission of new projects. 
The Prime Minister of Pakistan, being the chairman, National Economic Council (NEC), is pleased to grant relaxation in the deadline set by NEC i.e. 31st March, (2023) to facilitate submission of new projects to the Planning Commission (PC-I /PC-I1) for inclusion in PSDP 2023-24, official source told The Nation. The National Economic Council (NEC), the constitutional body responsible for approving the economic framework and development plans, had set March 31 as the deadline for the ministries/divisions to submit their projects to the Planning Commission using for approval and then inclusion in the PSDP.
All the provincial chief ministers are members of the NEC. However, without seeking the approval of NEC, the Prime Minister has issued the directives regarding one time exemption, the source said. Federal sponsoring ministries/divisions can now upload new projects on Intelligent Project Automation System (IPAS) for further processing and consideration by the relevant development forum, the letter issued by the Prime Minister said. This may also be disseminated to all attached/administrative departments under relevant controlling ministries/divisions. The initial deadline set by the National Economic Council (NEC) for the ministries to submit their projects to the Planning Commission was 31 March, but Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has extended it for the second time during its around one year tenure. Last year also the Prime Minister had granted relaxation in the deadline. Following the relaxation in the deadline, meeting of the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) was convened which has considered new projects for inclusion in the PSDP 2023-24. The source said that the government has to relax the deadline as there was pressure on the government from some of its allies for the inclusion of their projects in the next PSDP.