‘System of checks and balances to bring visible change in governance’

DCs, DPOs will pay joint field visits to markets to check prices and oversee anti-encroachment drives

LAHORE: The government has decided to strengthen the system of checks and balances to ensure a visible change in governance of the province. The decision taken to do away the concern that a common citizen was not benefiting from the system already in place and that the promise of change was not trickling down in the form of improved service delivery.

The civil and police bureaucracy have agreed to work in coordination and synergy  to strengthen the said system.

This was agreed during a meeting presided over by Punjab Chief Secretary (CS) Major (retd) Azam Suleman Khan with Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Police Shoaib Dastagir at Darbar Hall Civil Secretariat, Lahore. The meeting was attended by Planning & Development Chairman, Additional Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretary (Home), administrative secretaries of all departments, Additional IG CTD, Additional IG Special Branch, Lahore CCPO whereas divisional commissioners and regional police officers joined the session through video conferencing.

The main objective of the meeting was to improve service delivery, transparency and to ensure good governance, by working as one team and allowing common people of the province to see a visible change.

It was agreed that both district commissioners (DCs) and district police officers (DPOs) will pay joint field visits to markets for price control, encroachment drives and for other operations by the district administration where police assistance was required. It was instructed that the working of DCs with DPOs will jointly be monitored by their respective district commissioners and regional police officers (RPO). The overall working would be monitored by the CS and the IGP, who will jointly visit divisional headquarters weekly.

The DCs and DPOs were instructed to also improve liaison with elected representatives and ensure their genuine complaints were addressed forthwith. It was also agreed that both will jointly hold open courts, entertaining maximum number of complainants by ensuring that timings of open courts are widely publicised.

Anti-encroachment drives will be jointly held to ensure the success of such operations. Previously, anti encroachment operations launched by district administration were not backed by the police administration as police support was no available. This forced the district administration to halt such operations midway fearing a poor law and order situation. Similarly, for clearing of temporary encroachments from alongside roads and ensuring smooth flow of traffic, operations requested by the traffic police were not entertained. In cases of permanent encroachments, police demanded the district administration to work on their instructions to undermine their authority.

District administration and police both will jointly work toward smog prevention by taking steps to control factors contribution to pollution. District administration was instructed that prices in markets remain in check by fully activating a price monitoring and control mechanism at district level.

The bureaucracies were further instructed to preventing adulteration, by taking strict action against violators, ensuring clean and green drive, development of ‘green areas’ and parks.

It was ordered to ensure timely disposal of complaints on PM Complaint Portal and to maintain a database of all complaints received and monitor disposal. The CS also instructed holding regular district and divisional intelligence committees to stay abreast of events.

All district commissioners and RPOs were instructed to compile lists of officers and officials that are not required.  To ensure these instructions were implemented, Punjab Information Technology Board was asked to create a real time monitoring mechanism. All officers were instructed to ensure their accessibility to the public. The officers were ordered to ensure punctuality and direct access to officers without interference of staff.

Punjab Chief Secretary Major (retd) Azam Suleman Khan said that an improvement in governance, public service delivery and promotion of transparency in the province is the top priority of the government. He added that officers would be given free hand but they would be held accountable. The chief secretary briefed that the performance of officers would be reviewed on a monthly basis and those who would fail to deliver would be removed. “Merit and transparency would have to be promoted to improve performance of departments.

He asked the officers to perform their duties diligently and honestly so that desired targets could be achieved. “Corruption and nepotism would not be tolerated in any case. The provincial government wants to address the problems of the citizens.” He directed the officers to keep doors of their offices open for the public to resolve their problems. He warned that profiteers, hoarders, and adulterators would be dealt with stern action. He further directed the divisional commissioners to ensure availability of daily use commodities at the prices fixed by the government. “The DCs and DPOs must visit fruit and vegetable markets to supervise the auction process.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 7^th, 2019.