KARACHI: Expressing grave concern and frustration over the slow progress on the city’s ongoing development projects, Local Government (LG) Minister Saeed Ghani has criticised the careless and lethargic attitude of officials in the civic and municipal bodies, and instructed the additional chief secretary of the LG department to compile a report on the status of projects of all subsidiary agencies.

Chairing a meeting of the top officials of the LG department, he also directed the additional chief secretary to initiate work to give authorisation of the development schemes which were still awaiting approval.

The minister directed the officials concerned to ensure the completion of Karachi’s ongoing uplift schemes, which were part of the Annual Development Programme (ADP), by the end of the current year especially the schemes for which 100 per cent of the finances had been released.

The LG minister reviewed the progress on each of the ongoing development schemes of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, Karachi Development Authority, Karachi Water & Sewerage Corporation, Malir Development Authority, Lyari Development Authority, CLICK and SWEEP.

LG minister instructs dept to compile a report on the status of projects

He expressed frustration at the non-serious and lethargic conduct of the officials concerned in completing these uplift projects. He also questioned the pace of construction works and utilisation of funds released to complete the under-construction projects.

He criticised the officials who failed to compile comprehensive reports on the uplift schemes and censured the officials of the civic and municipal bodies who failed to complete the development projects despite the 100pc release of funds by the provincial government.

The LG minister said that the last provincial government’s budget didn’t contain any new uplift scheme because of the main cause of ensuring completion of the ongoing development projects in the current financial year.

Mr Ghani said that incomplete development schemes despite passage of six months and release of the sufficient funds proved inefficiency on the part of the relevant officials.

He directed the chiefs of the civic agencies that they should ensure the quality of the development works as there shouldn’t be any leniency in observing standards of the uplift projects.

Meanwhile, the local government minister chaired a separate meeting attended by the regional directors, deputy directors, and assistant directors of the LG department posted on the development projects.

He directed the regional directors to submit the monthly progress reports of the local government councils in their jurisdiction by 5th of every month.

He told the officials that the provincial government had waived the fee collected for the issuance of birth and death certificates for five years and added that reports were being received that different union committees had still been receiving fee for registering new births and deaths.

The LG minister also said that elected councillors were not entitled to be paid a salary or allowance as per the LG law. “Action should be taken against towns and UCs violating this restriction,” he added.

He directed the officials of the local government department to perform their duties honestly without coming under any pressure and send a report to their high-ups if they detected any corrupt practice or irregularity.

Published in Dawn, December 11th, 2024