Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: CDA’s management is trying to dodge the Federal Ombudsman and NAB while replying on the compliance of separate recommendations issued by both institutions for efficient service delivery and to prevent corruption and malpractices in the civic body.

The Ombudsman’s Secretariat has sought an implementation report on its earlier released 15 points recommendations on the working of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) while National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has also proposed 16 measures to eradicate and minimise the corruption and bribery practices in service delivery departments of the civic body.

A final deadline of 31 January 2017 has been fixed by the Ombudsman’s Secretariat to receive a comprehensive implementation report in addition to the directions regarding establishment of an implementation cell in the CDA under the head of Member Administration, monitoring and evaluation system and to establish a complaints cell and online public redressal mechanism under the chair of a member level officer.

The report of the Federal Ombudsman on the working of the CDA recommended a fully merit based Board having the representation of civil society, presence of a former judge of the superior courts or a retired senior civil servant whereas it was also recommended that both Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) and CDA should be placed under the same Division or Minister to enhance coordination.

But, the authority instead of making efforts in this regard simply shifted its burden by saying that the appointment of board members and placing ICT and CDA under the same division or ministry is in the domain of the Federal Government.

The report further asked to conduct a thorough audit of the CDA for the last 10 years to uncover malpractices and to punish culprits whereas it also stressed to conduct an audit to find out political appointment in the authority, but the CDA has done nothing so far and is trying to take cover in the guise of routine internal and external audits.

Furthermore, the report recommended to constitute a committee in order to control encroachments comprised on senior officers and interested citizens, increase revenue by enhancing tax collections, make joint venture with private parties for the development of the sectors, and source out the civic management operations to private firms for efficient service delivery. It was also recommended by the Ombudsman to provide funding to IESCO and SNGPL for the provision of these services in sectoral areas and also stressed on the continuous repair of roads and streets in the federal capital.

But, the authority has no clear and satisfactory replay regarding the implementation on the aforementioned recommendations and it is going to simply dodge in its reply by using existing mechanisms or measures as a compliance of the report, which is a misrepresentation of facts as these were present even before the release of this report.

On the other side the NAB has also asked CDA to submit a compliance report to create a preventive regime in service delivery departments of the civic body.

Review of existing laws and regulations, the availability of these laws in the national language, simplification of forms, seeking suggestions from staff and customers, establish widely publicised standard fees and charges for services, review of discretionary powers and their rationalisations, customers access, strengthening feedback mechanism, complaints redressal mechanism, costumer advice centre are the proposed measures by the NAB in its letter written on 11 January 2017.

Director Public Relations CDA Mazhar Hussain while responding said: “The improvement in the system is a gradual process and we have taken several steps to implement the directions of NAB and the Federal Ombudsman and soon final reports would be submitted in both institutions”.