Ensuring accountability: K-P govt approves citizens feedback programme

The feedback data collection system aims to improve the functioning of govt departments.


Abdur Rauf July 26, 2013
"The performance of government functionaries will be judged and assessed from public feedback through telephones calls and SMS texting,” said an official of the Civil Secretariat Peshawar. PHOTO: FILE

PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government on Thursday gave its approval to launch the citizen’s feedback data collection system. The system is a measure to improve the functioning of government departments and hold officials accountable for their performance.

“Under the system, the performance of government functionaries will be judged and assessed from public feedback through telephones calls and SMS texting,” said an official of the Civil Secretariat Peshawar.

The system will be initially tested for departments servicing the registration of deeds such as ownership titles and inheritance documents, and those preparing domicile certificates. “The programme will soon be extended to every department of the provincial government,” the official added.



The feedback scheme was approved during a meeting presided over by K-P Chief Secretary Mohammad Shahzad Arbab. Those in attendance included the World Bank representative in Pakistan, Shakil Khan, Planning and Development Department Additional Chief Secretary Khalid Parvez and Additional Chief Secretary for Finance Sahibzada Saeed, among other officials.

The participants were briefed in detail about practices and proposals to ensure transparency and encourage feedback of the performance of government employees in their dealings with citizens. The proper documentation of the feedback also came under discussion.

The meeting decided all commissioners and deputy commissioners must make calls to citizens themselves and hear their opinion on dealing with a government department, and whether their needs were properly serviced in regard to domicile certification or registration.

Responses from citizens will be documented on the website of the department in question. A software will also be developed to facilitate the scheme so that it can be easily extended to all departments.

Considering the K-P government recently drafted access to information ordinance, public feedback will be instantly made available on government websites, said the civil secretariat official.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 26th, 2013.

COMMENTS (4)

Ubaid Khan | 10 years ago | Reply

KPK government while receiving SMS/call must ensure that caller should give his ID number and name below the SMS

Ubaid Khan | 10 years ago | Reply

While receiving SMS/telephone calls it should be ensured caller should provide his ID number and name while sending SMS/telephone call

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