Snail-paced: Buzdar irked over delay in development projects

Directs authorities concerned to complete projects timely

Expressing his displeasure over the delay in development schemes, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar admonished the officials concerned and directed them to expedite work in the backward areas.

The CM was presiding over a high-level meeting at the civil secretariat on Friday. The meeting, which lasted for four-and-a-half hours, reviewed the progress made on different development schemes started for the development and prosperity of remote and backward areas of the province. Administrative secretaries briefed the Chief Minister about the progress made so far.

Buzdar directed that work should be expedited to develop the backward areas, adding that he would not tolerate the delay of even a single day. "You should better perform,” practically instead of engaging in any lip-service,” he said. “I need performance and the people delaying the development schemes will be held accountable.”

“You should realise the problems faced by the general public. If I have to do all the work then what are you doing? I will not allow anybody to obstruct the mission of providing relief to the masses.”

The chief minister said steps should be taken to shift the remote schools on solar power. “The people of backward areas have all the right to use latest means of public transport and we have to return this right to them.” He directed that the healthcare and educational projects should be completed in time and a report should also be submitted.

It was decided in the meeting the hill-allowance of government officials of tribal and hilly areas of DG Khan would be doubled. Approval has been accorded to enhance the hill-allowance from Rs500 to Rs1,000, he said. He also directed to expedite the work on welfare schemes and added that cleanliness arrangements in big cities should be improved.

The CM also expressed his displeasure over poor cleanliness arrangements and presence of filth in DG Khan City and directed that solid waste should be properly disposed of. Along with it, healthcare, education and clean drinking water schemes of remote areas should be completed on priority basis, he added. Instead of any lip-service, the PTI government is doing practical measures for providing better facilities to the people and no one will be allowed to create hurdles or delay such programs. He said only those officers will remain on their posts that will show performance because PTI government believes in service delivery and it is the responsibility of concerned agencies to achieve targets within the given time frame.

Senior Member Board of Revenue, ACS (Home), administrative secretaries, principal secretary to CM and high officials attended the meeting.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 5^th, 2019.