Governance reforms: Land record system will end patwari culture, says CM

New authority approved for implementation of LRMIS

LAHORE:

A modern Land Record Management and Information System has been introduced in all tehsils of the province, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Wednesday.

He was presiding over a meeting to review progress of the Land Record Management and Information System (LRMIS).

“Service centres are fully operational in 143 tehsils of the Punjab. The computerisation of land record is an important step towards eliminating patwari culture from the Punjab. It is a historic step,” he said.

He said that the process to obtain copies of an ownership deed and transfer land had been simplified under the LRMIS. The meeting approved the setting up of a separate authority for implementation of the system.

The chief minister said that corruption, fraud and forgery would be eliminated. “The common man is getting relief through this project. People can now get the necessary documents required for sale and purchase of land from a single office,” he said.

He said that there should be an effective system of internal audit for the project every six months. “A permanent monitoring system should be evolved for the project. The monitoring report should be presented to the authority after every month,” he said.

The Planning and Development Board chairman briefed the meeting about the establishment of the new authority.

Ministers Rana Sanaullah and Dr Ayesha Ghaus Pasha attended the meeting.

Parents thank CM

A delegation of the Parents’ Association met the chief minister on Wednesday. They thanked him for taking action on the rising fees of private schools. The delegation also praised the efforts of Shahbaz Sharif for promotion of education in the Punjab.

The chief minister said that education was the right of every child. “The Punjab government is implementing a comprehensive programme for ensuring 100 per cent enrollment of children in schools and promotion of quality education,” he said.

He said that the Education Department would have to work more efficiently to improve the standard of education in public sector schools. The chief minister said that the government had built quality educational facilities for children of low-income segments by setting up Daanish schools in backward areas.

“An immediate notice was taken of the protest of parents over increasing fees. The government immediately issued an ordinance to lessen the financial burden on the parents,” he said.

He said that under the ordinance, private schools would not be allowed to raise fees during an academic session. “They will also have to get themselves registered within 45 days. There is no justification for increasing fees. A procedure has been evolved for the implementation of the measures proposed under the ordinance,” he said.

He directed the Education Department to evolve a mechanism to maintain contact with parents and teachers. Education Minister Rana Mashhood Ahmad was also present.

Chinese investors

A delegation of Chinese investors met the CM on Wednesday. They discussed prospects of investment in oil and gas sector in the province. The chief minister said all necessary facilities would be provided to the investors. He said that the government would consider setting up a separate department for development of the oil and gas sector in the province. The Chinese delegation expressed the desire to work with the Punjab government.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 24^th, 2015.