Quality assurance panels to monitor projects

LAHORE:

The Punjab Housing, Urban Development and Public Health Engineering Department has established Quality Assurance Committees in all key subordinate agencies and development authorities across the province.

Official sources confirmed that these committees will operate within Water and Sanitation Agencies (WASAs), Parks and Horticulture Authorities, and Development Authorities.

Their primary mandate is to monitor project execution, verify adherence to technical standards, and provide consistent feedback to improve ongoing and future development schemes.

Each committee will include departmental engineers, quality control officers, and administrative staff to ensure a comprehensive review of project implementation.

Reports from these committees will be regularly submitted to the Housing Department's central monitoring cell for oversight and any required corrective actions.

This quality control initiative follows the earlier creation of a high-level Search Committee tasked with ensuring merit-based recruitment of top positions, such as Directors General, Managing Directors, and Chief Engineers.

Chaired by Housing Minister Bilal Yasin, the committee evaluates service records and seniority to ensure that appointments reflect capability and integrity.

Additionally, the department has established an Internal Accountability Board, operating under the Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline and Accountability (PEEDA) Act.

This board will investigate complaints of corruption and misconduct within the department and its subsidiaries, enforces internal discipline, audits compliance, and advises on policy reforms.

Commenting on the department's multi-layered reforms, Housing Secretary Noorul Amin Mengal said: "The Quality Assurance Committees are another critical step toward institutionalising excellence in public service. When combined with the Search Committee and Internal Accountability Board, we are creating a governance model rooted in merit, integrity, and public trust."

He stressed the importance of responsible use of public funds, noting that billions of rupees are invested annually in housing and sanitation projects.