Development plans must be practical

DISTRICTS and provincial development plans must focus on key projects that will improve the quality of life for the people.
A development plan sets out a local authority’s policies and proposals for land use in their area.
We have witnessed many development plans being launched but unfortunately not many have achieved its intended purpose.
Development planning must be seen as a tool for shaping and accelerating development goals.
Development planning is a complex and cross-cutting undertaking and it plays an important role in shaping a district or provinces development goals and priorities.
It is about coming up with well-researched and well-reasoned plans that prioritise and synchronise activities, given the scarce resources at their disposal.
The aim of any development plan should be to utilise the available resources more effectively to achieve well-defined objectives.
National Planning and Monitoring Department secretary Koney Samuel told a development planners conference last year that having too many district and provincial development plans can cause confusion and affect implementation of projects.
Some plans were too ambiguous and thus the planners were bogged down with meetings with much to discuss instead of implementing the projects.
Let us be realistic.
There had to be a practical time frame for the planners to identify the few priority projects to launch and complete within five years.
What the secretary highlighted was about coming up with more practical plans that can be financed with the limited resources is very true.
“Resources are scarce and unable to meet the high demand and competition.
“We are trying to manage the limited resources to support what we think are the key priorities of the Government.”
The challenge to achieve the plans is a tough call but if everyone works together, both present and future, they can contribute to the development of their district and province and do greater things in the years ahead.
Delays in the submission of development plans also affects the alignment and implementation exercises.
We are in peak of selecting our political leaders that will lead the 22 provinces and 96 open electorates after July.
That however should not stop those tasked to submit their respective development plans from doing so.
Development challenges that the country faces were daunting but all stakeholders must remain committed to bringing about change and development.
While the country was faced with the critical challenges of managing limited budgetary resources, planning remains a strategic tool to allocate resources to priority projects and programmes that would create impact and ensure maximum returns on those investments.
Planning also reduces the risks of uncertainty.
It is also the case that development planning provides certainty and improves the quality of decision-making process for all parts of government.
Developing a plan with set targets helps align those responsible to deliver accountable.
Many times we hear of districts and provinces squandering millions of kina on vehicles and machinery that does not benefit or bring service to the people.
While short-term plans are to be practical, a long-term development framework must also be developed.
Long-term develop plans set long-term goals and targets that will guide development planning and importantly, will set the priorities for development expenditure.
In so doing, it dismantles the dominance of short-term, annual budgets over the allocation of resources.
Development plans are intended to promote and guide the district and province onto a path of sustainable economic growth, achieving economic prosperity and a high quality of life for all the people.
We hope for continuity on plans already in place when the new MP is elected.