The Usman Buzdar administration is taking steps towards the formation of the much talked about South Punjab Province.
According to details available with the Express Tribune, the chief minister has approved the division of the Civil Defence Department and ordered the creation of the director’s position for each of the three divisions of South Punjab.
Officials familiar with the development said Chief Minister Buzdar has divided various provincial departments following orders from the Prime Minister’s office. Several provincial officers have already been posted in departments in South Punjab.
Earlier this month, the Buzdar administration, posted 10 secretaries in the South Punjab Secretariat, which will perform its duties independently and without any influence from the Secretariat in Lahore. In a similar move the provincial government posted an Additional Chief Secretary and Inspector General of Police in the Southern Punjab region.
Similarly, the finance department has also created more than 70 new position to run the new administrative unit. Officers serving in the South Punjab region, one official said, will also receive additional allowances.
More changes
In addition to the bifurcation of departments, the Civil Defence Department will soon be administratively separated from the rest of province in three divisions of South Punjab, which include Multan, Bahawalpur and DG Khan.
The Civil Defence Department has also constituted ‘Fire Safety Liaison Committees’ at district and regional levels for the prevention of fires and other accidents.
Sharing details about the structure of the committees, a senior official said, “The Regional Assistant Director Civil Defence will serve as the chairman of each district committee and the civil defence officer will serve as the secretary.” According to the official, the committees will include a cluster of different industries and their representatives.
Workers at the department
The workers at the Civil Defence Department heaved a sigh of relief after a request was sent to the finance department to increase the salaries of volunteers. Currently, more than 2,000 volunteers are working on daily wages across Punjab.
These workers receive Rs. 575 per day. The amount, according to details available with the Express Tribune, will be increased to Rs. 675 per day.
When contacted by the Express Tribune, Director Civil Defence Punjab, Altaf Baloch said, that the first priority of the government is to provide maximum relief to those working on daily wages. “We have requested an increase in the compensation of our volunteers and the decision is expected soon,” claimed Baloch.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 26th, 2020.
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