MIRPUR (AJK): May 08 (APP):Azad Jammu Kashmir Prime Minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas Khan said on Sunday that as per the directives of the Supreme Court local body elections in the region would be held on time.
PM Ilyas said this while chairing a high-level meeting of Local Government and Rural Development (LG&RDD) in the federal metropolis. The meeting was attended among others by minister Khawaja Farooq Ahmed, Secretary Local Government Ejaz Ahmed and others.
Speaking on the occasion, the PM said that the holding Local Body polls in the region has been part of the PTI’s election manifesto. “The supreme court of Azad Kashmir has also issued a decree in this regard and we are trying to ensure that the polls are held within the time frame fixed by the honourable court”, the AJK PM said.
While highlighting the LG&RDD’s key role in resolving the problems faced by the common masses he said that the department of local government and rural development has a significant role in resolving the basic needs of the people, which have a direct bearing on the common man.
Referring to his government’s seriousness in holding the LG polls, he said, the PTI was serious about devolution of power to local bodies.
The Prime Minister directed the officials of the Local Government Department to complete the non-PCI projects immediately saying that laxity or negligence would be tolerated in this regard. The targets, he said, should be met before the end of the financial year.
The Prime Minister made it clear that no compromise would be made on the quality of work on the ongoing development projects under the Local Government Department. He also directed the concerned authorities to redouble their efforts to expedite file-work process, which hinders the implementation of PCI-projects and non-PCI-projects.
The PM directed the LG&RD official to take practical steps for the use of modern technology to address the basic needs and problems being faced by the people. Stressing on ensuring efficiency and effectiveness, he said, “Sanitation in major cities of Azad Kashmir has now become a serious problem”.
“There is no solid waste management project in any city”, the PM said, adding that the officials of the LG&RD department should devise a comprehensive plan on emergency basis to recycle and dispose of the garbage.
Regarding the cleanliness in the capital city, the PM said, modern technology should be used for cleaning the dirt and garbage in the streets in Muzaffarabad.
The PM also stressed the need for a well integrated plan to maintain the death and birth record of citizens. He said that computerized death and birth certificates should be issued to the citizens saying that no negligence would be tolerated in this regard.
The Prime Minister was informed that during the last one year, 68,000 certificates have been issued.
The meeting also reviewed the financial targets against the allocated budget of Rs 2.80 billion. Moreover, the meeting reviewed ongoing development schemes in 33 constituencies of AJK and 12 constituencies of Muhajireen (refugee)-based Pakistan.
