LAHORE: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has stressed the need of rooting out corruption at the earliest and for making rapid progress to achieve that end. For ending the bane of corruption such measures need to be adopted that reform the system in a manner that it reacts automatically to any irregularity and corruption.
He issued instructions for enacting law for Access to Information for promoting transparency in the province. He also formed a committee headed by Chief Secretary to consider matters regarding strict accountability system, access to information and other affairs.
The committee will submit its recommendations within seven days which will later be put before the cabinet committee and the cabinet for final approval.
The Chief Minister said that while presiding over a meeting of Punjab cabinet at Civil Secretariat, here Tuesday.
The meeting gave approval of the amendment bills of Motion Pictures Ordinance 1979, Press, Newspapers, News Agencies and Books Registration Ordinance 2002 and Punjab Court and Wards Act 1903. The cabinet also gave approval to tabling the Annual Report of Ombudsman Punjab for the year 2010 and the annual report on the 7th NFC Award 2010 in the Punjab Assembly. Chairman Planning & Development gave a detailed briefing regarding promotion of transparency in the province while Secretary Health informed about the strategy evolved for eradication of dengue on the occasion.
Addressing the meeting, the Chief Minister said that transparency is the top priority of the Punjab government and a corruption-free culture has been promoted in the province. He said that the policy of third-party validation is being strictly implemented for ensuring transparency in the implementation of all development projects and every penny of public money is being spent in a transparent manner.
He said that rapid progress can be made by adopting the principle of transparency and honesty and there is a need to march ahead without any fear for purging the country of the scourge of corruption. He said that a system should have been evolved during last 64 years for rooting out corruption.
He said that though it is a difficult task to root out corruption, provide justice to the people and uphold its supremacy but the aim of progress and development cannot be achieved without eliminating corruption from the country.
He said that Punjab government has taken solid steps to abolish corruption and promotion of the culture of transparency. He said the project of computerization of land record is a step towards this direction. He said that speedy progress is being made on this project of providing relief to the people and facilitating them in acquiring revenue record. He said that access to information is the right of every citizen and a law should be enacted for this purpose as soon as possible.
Reviewing the annual report of the Provincial Ombudsman, he directed that the institution should be made vibrant and active for providing relief to the common man and the cabinet committee should review its efficiency as well as consider appointment of consultants and advisors.
He said that service to the people is the responsibility of the government and it is performing its duties efficiently and all out resources are being utilized on the welfare and provision of basic amenities to the people.
He said that the project of provision of modern transport facilities to the citizens has been started under which 110 busses will be plied in the provincial metropolis while more busses will also be imported.
He said that it has also been decided to ply air-conditioned buses in other cities of the province. He said that air-conditioned buses will also be introduced in Faisalabad, Multan, Bahawalpur and DG Khan. The Chief Minister appreciated the briefing of Chairman Planning & Development and said that rapid progress will have to be made in this direction.
Source: The Nation
Date:11/16/2011
