Daily Times

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has directed to expand the scope of Land Record Management Information System (LRMIS) from tehsil to Kanogoi so as to solve the problems of the people at Arazi Centres in the province.

He has also constituted a committee comprising of revenue minister and high officials to review complaints of corruption at Arazi Centres.

He was presiding over a high-level meeting to review problems faced by people at Arazi Centres, on Wednesday.

Revenue Minister Malik Muhammad Anwar, senior member board of revenue, LRMIS director general and others attended the meeting. Addressing the meeting, the Punjab chief minister said that this project was launched to facilitate the people but they are not provided with the facilities which were promised to them.

“People have to wait in long queues and complaints of corruption have also surfaced,” he said adding that land record authorities will be further activated to provide facilities to the people because it is the agenda of the government. He said that the committee will visit field offices to review the Arazi Centres’ performance and recommendations will be compiled to eradicate public complaints along with overcoming the menace of corruption. These recommendations will be immediately implemented and complaints will be removed.

He said that the scope of Arazi Centres will expand from the level of tehsil to Kanogoi and as a result of this initiative, the number of centres will be increased from 147 to 800.

“We will remove the difficulties faced by the people and they will be given necessary facilities by adopting practical measures,” concluded the Punjab CM.

Punjab CM Sardar Usman Buzdar said that action will be initiated against those submitting wrong data about the development schemes.

“Commissioners need to submit reports after reviewing development schemes in the relevant areas,” he added.

The CM said the situation of health, education and other basic facilities had deteriorated and facilities were, in fact, negligible in the remote and tribal areas of the division.

“A filtration plant is necessary at every union council to provide clean drinking water to the people and Punjab Bank should also establish soft branches in the tribal areas,” he said adding that lack of staff and other resources will be fulfilled.

Meanwhile, availability of ladies and children’s parks are also necessary in small cities and towns. He directed that names of health councils should be displayed outside the hospitals and state-of-the-art gynae and Intensive Care Units should be established at all teaching hospitals of the province including Dera Ghazi Khan. Gynae wards of deprived areas should be especially upgraded and roads should be repaired to improve the connectivity between different divisions of the province.

He was presiding over a special meeting held to review the development schemes of the province including DG Khan. Secretaries of Housing, Communication & Works, higher education, schools education, health, Planning & Development and home departments, along with other officials, attended the meeting.

The new Punjab Inspector General Police Muhammad Tahir called on Sardar Usman Buzdar at his office.

The CM congratulated IGP Muhammad Tahir on his new assignment and extended good wishes to him. Buzdar said that the IG has been appointed purely on merit.

“People have great expectations from the police force and it will be made a totally impartial institution which could serve the plaintiffs in the real sense. The change in the police department should be visible to the people. It is hoped that you will promote a new police culture,” he added. The IG said that every possible step will be taken to improve the police system and duties will be performed in accordance with principles of merit and justice.

Deputy Inspector General Shahzada Sultan was also present on the occasion.

A delegation of United States Agency for International Development (USAID) led by USAID Provincial Director Lea Swanson also called on Buzdar at his office.

A detailed briefing was given by the USAID delegation to Buzdar about the ongoing cooperation in different sectors of Punjab. During the meeting, a discussion was held about promoting opportunities in different sectors including healthcare, education, energy, agriculture and employment. It was also agreed to promote bilateral assistance to provide better facilities to the people.

Talking on the occasion, Buzdar said that the government is committed to improve the capacity of social sector to better serve the general public and said that technical assistance by USAID will be welcomed.

Lea Swanson said that they will be happy to expand partnership with the Punjab government.

Published in Daily Times, September 13^th 2018.