Strategy designed to make govt more responsive, transparent: KP CM

Peshawar – Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan on Saturday said the provincial governance, keeping in view welfare of the citizens, had designed a strategy to make the government more responsive, transparent, accountable and open in its approach and working.  

“This whole paradigm, in turn will help achieve greater public satisfaction. Under the E-Governance Initiative of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa several online portals had been designed to monitor progress and evaluate the performance of public sector departments,” he added. 

Presiding over a high-level meeting regarding ‘Good Governance Strategy’ at Chief Minister Secretariat, Mahmood Khan said that according to the latest national statistics, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had highest citizen satisfaction of 42% throughout Pakistan under the Pakistan Citizen Portal.  

He said that Public Service Delivery Portal was also being designed and would soon be launched. The portal would prove to be a major initiative of the provincial government under the good governance strategy, he said. Similarly, he said, a provincial task force had been constituted to review progress on services delivery and to take public feedback at district level in newly merged tribal districts. 

Provincial Minister Shaukat Yousafzai, members of national and provincial assemblies, Principal Secretary to CM Shahab Ali Shah, Chief Organizer PTI Pakistan Saifullah Khan Niazi, Central Secretary Good Governance Shahid Yousaf, Siraj Ahmad, Dr. Haider Ali, Ajmal Ansari, Arbab Sher Ali, Ejaz Butt, Col Amanullah and representatives of Performance Management & Reforms Unit Khyber Pakhtunkhwa attended the meeting. 

The meeting was briefed about the initiatives taken by the provincial government under Good Governance Strategy and informed that five different pillars have been devised under the Good Governance Strategy including open government and transparency, public service delivery, citizen participation, performance & accountability and ideas innovation & technology. In order to review the public service delivery, several E-governance reforms have been introduced and online portals have been designed. 

The meeting was informed that since 2018 till date 900 khuli kachehries were held in the province during which over 8000 complaints were resolved. Dedicated khuli kachehries were also held for females and minorities. Similarly, Revenue Hazri (Darbar) initiative was initiated in February 2020 however this was discontinued due to COVID-19 and resumed in August.  

The meeting was informed that under the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan, online approval of building plans (commercial & residential) was also in progress to facilitate the private builders. The facility of online application along with submission of maps and documents would be available. Similarly, a mechanism for administrative inspection of public service facilities and developmental schemes has been introduced under which all details and latest situation is available on dash boards for the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary and other higher authorities.  

Through the Chief Minister Complaint Cell, feedback of citizens was being taken by the Chief Minister and ministers through random phone calls. This was unique initiative of the provincial government under which complaints were being resolved within the one-month time. Besides E-bidding, E-tendering and E-billing, E-transfer policies have also been introduced in various departments. 

The meeting was told that digital mechanism for price control had been introduced and all details on daily basis available on dash boards. Targeted actions were being carried out to curb artificial price hike in the province. Besides, consultation process for merged areas has been organized and inaugurated by the Chief Minister and a task force was constituted to review the progress and to take feedback at district level in the newly merged tribal districts, the meeting was informed.