Delays in Public Interest Projects Will Not Be Tolerated; Deputy Commissioners Should Complete Work Within Stipulated Time: Chief Secretary Balochistan

Quetta (Daily Qudrat Quetta) — A Deputy Commissioners’ conference was held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Balochistan Shakeel Qadir Khan, in which a detailed review was conducted of ongoing development projects in the province, district administration performance, redressal of public complaints, price control, agricultural income tax, cleanliness campaigns, educational facilities, and public welfare measures.

During the conference, the Monitoring and Evaluation Department gave a briefing regarding the progress of ongoing development projects. The meeting was informed that a total of 2,935 development projects in the province have been monitored and reviewed, of which 1,667 projects have been completed, while work on the remaining projects is ongoing. Information was also provided about projects underway under the BSDI program. The briefing stated that under BSDI, 4,052 projects are included in the province, whose progress is being continuously reviewed.

The Chief Secretary directed the concerned authorities and Deputy Commissioners to complete under-construction development projects within the stipulated time and not to compromise on the quality of projects in any way. He said that delays in public interest projects will not be tolerated, and regular monitoring of development projects should be ensured.

The Chief Secretary directed the district administration to ensure the holding of separate open courts for women to provide immediate resolution of women’s issues and give them an opportunity to present their complaints with dignity. He said that effective and immediate measures should be taken at the district level to resolve the problems faced by women.

He directed that missing facilities in schools should be provided on a priority basis. He said that providing basic educational facilities to students is an important priority of the government, therefore practical measures should be taken to provide water, washrooms, electricity, boundary walls, and other necessary facilities in schools.

The conference also reviewed the performance of local governments and the sanitation system. The meeting was informed that cleanliness campaigns have been started in 38 local councils of the province. The Chief Secretary directed that the cleanliness campaign should be made more effective, continuity of cleanliness in urban areas should be maintained, and the district administration and local councils should work in mutual cooperation to provide a clean environment to the people.

The meeting also included a briefing regarding the KUMAK program launched for the welfare of persons with disabilities. The Chief Secretary directed that effective access to government facilities, services, and social protection should be provided to persons with disabilities, and a transparent procedure should be adopted to deliver the benefits of the program to deserving individuals.

He directed that regular visits to markets should be conducted so that strict vigil can be maintained over the prices of food items, in order to prevent violations of government-fixed rates. Immediate action should be taken against violators.

The Chief Secretary said that Deputy Commissioners play the role of a primary link between the government and the people, therefore they should pay special attention to resolving public issues, monitoring development projects, the sanitation system, education, and the provision of other basic facilities. He made it clear that the basic objective of district administration performance is to provide better services to the people and deliver the benefits of government measures to the grassroots level.