Constitute committee to remove impediments: Shahbaz

Oct 31, 2009 (Asia Pulse Data Source via COMTEX) -- AEOPF | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif presided over a high level meeting for revisiting Annual Development Programme (ADP) at Chief Ministers Secretariat, here on Saturday. The meeting, which lasted for six hours, reviewed in detail utilisation of funds and implementation of development schemes under the ADP during first quarter. Provincial Minister for Law Rana Sanaullah Khan, Senator Ishaq Dar, Members National and Provincial Assemblies, Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretary, Senior Member Board of Revenue, Administrative Secretaries, all Divisional Commissioners and senior officers were also present on the occasion.

Addressing the meeting, Shahbaz Sharif said under the ADP, record funds of Rs 175 billion had been allocated and meetings are being held regularly every month for reviewing the utilisation of funds and implementation of development projects. 98 percent schemes have been approved, while the rate of utilisation of funds is also satisfactory. Remaining two percent schemes will also be approved within next week, he said.

With regard to resources for development projects, the CM said we would have to adopt the habit of living within our own resources like a self-reliant nation and leave to rely on foreign aid. Neither we have made progress by foreign aid nor we can do so in future.

The country can be put on the road to progress only by hardworking, honesty and sense of responsibility. Provision of basic facilities and justice to the people is our responsibility and we will have to fulfil it at every cost, he said, while adding that the generation of additional resources and achieving fixed targets of revenue were of paramount importance for the speedy development and Board of Revenue and Excise & Taxation departments should achieve revenue targets at all costs.

He said that if Revenue and Excises and Taxation Departments eliminate leakage in the process of revenue collection and make officers and officials involved in embezzlement strictly accountable, then there was no reason that the fixed targets could not be achieved. Short and long term reforms are very necessary for improving the performance of these departments so that system of revenue collection could further be improved and these departments be purged of corrupt and inefficient officials. He will extend full support to the heads of the concerned departments for making reforms, he said.

Shahbaz Sharif said priority had been given to schemes aimed at welfare of common man in the ADP and ongoing schemes were being completed on priority basis. He also directed to constitute a committee for removing impediments in the way of various old schemes and their execution, which would submit its recommendations while keeping in view all aspects of these schemes within four days while the committee headed by Chief Secretary would evolve a policy regarding daily wages employees in different departments so that transparent utilisation of funds allocated for their wages could be ensured.

While taking serious notice of recruitment of doctors through fake degrees in different cities, said that particulars of all the contract employees should be completely screened and effective strategy be evolved. The case of doctors being recruited through bogus degrees in Rawalpindi has been handed over to Anti-Corruption Establishment and the persons responsible will not be spared at all, he said, while directing to complete process of recruitment of educators as soon as possible.

He directed all the Divisional Commissioners to give detail briefing regarding implementation of development projects and utilisation of funds under MPA package. He also directed to immediately complete the project of Land Record Computerisation and the biggest forensic lab of the Asia.

Earlier, Chairman Planning and Development Board Sami Saeed gave detailed briefing about utilisation of funds and implementation of development schemes under the ADP. He also informed the meeting about the implementation of decisions made during the last meeting. Additional Chief Secretary Javaid Aslam informed that the IT Centre Project at Ferozepur Road would be completed by April 28 and marketing plan had been finalised in this regard. Members National and Provincial Assemblies also submitted their proposals and suggestions with regard to development projects in the meeting.

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