CM for using digital technology to deal with corruption challenge

KARACHI: The Caretaker Sindh Chief Minister Justice Maqbool Baqar (retd), stressing the need of digital solutions in government departments, has directed provincial anti-corruption watchdogs to use dashboards and online interfaces

Presiding over a joint meeting of Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) and the Chief Minister Inspection and Inquiries Team (CMIIT) at CM House here Saturday, he observed that both the agencies were understaffed and directed them to abolish their non-technical posts and appoint investigators and technical persons so that performance of their organisations could be improved.

The chief minister ordered the CMIIT to start a 100-day Inspection Plan for all government offices including hospitals, schools, municipalities, and development authorities.

Chairman ACE Zulfiqar Shah while briefing the meeting said that anti-corruption was a special agency for the investigation of certain offences relating to corruption by, or inquiry into misconduct of public servants and holding preliminary inquiries against such servants in the province.

The other functions of anti-corruption include inquiring and investigating cases of corruption in government departments, the public sector, corporations and semi-government organisations. Total sanctioned strength of the anti-corruption establishment was 1416 against which only 679 employees were working.

The CM directed to abolish non-technical posts and instead create posts of investigators, and technical officers. He asked for these recruitments through the Sindh Public Service Commission. He asked the anti-corruption establishment to evolve an automated digital system under which the institution of a complaint, initiation of an inquiry, its findings, statements, and decision of the committees or in case of the challan to the anti-corruption courts must be automated, transparent and digital.

Chairman ACE Zulfiqar Shah shared the performance of his organisation and told that during the last five years, it paid 328 surprise visits, conducted 158 raids, trapped 59, registered 759 cases, challaned 725 cases, of them 65 were convicted. However, the CM said that the ACE must improve its performance as the convection rate was not satisfactory. He asked the CMIIT to develop digital solutions to monitor the presence and performance of government functionaries and ensure biometric and geo-tagged attendance of employees of all departments including the police.”

The CM said that the CMIIT should develop a dashboard and online interface for general and specific public complaints and their redressal and regular review.

Baqar assigned the CMIIT a 100-day Inspection plan. The plan includes the inspection of DHQ/ Civil Hospitals Qambar, Matiari, Hyderabad, Shaheed Benazirabad, Ghotki. The inspection of Registration and Transfer of property processes in Larkana, Sukkur, West Karachi, Hyderabad cities, LDA will also be conducted.

The CM also assigned the CMIT to inspect major schools, colleges, university campuses, and STEVTA Institutes at Umerkot, Jacobabad, Sujawal, Central Karachi, Tando Mohammad Khan and Benazirabad.

Under the 100 Day inspection plan the inspection of the Water Management (Irrigation/ Agriculture/ PHE/ KWSB) in Thatta, Sanghar, Malir, Mirpurkhas, and Badin would be conducted.

Under the 100 plan, the inspection of Municipal Services at Dadu, Naushero Feroz, Kotri, Shikarpur, Sukkur; Agriculture and Livestock Services in Tharparkar, Kashmore, Jamshoro districts and Development and Rehabilitation Works in flood-hit areas would also be conducted.

In the 100-Day Plan, the inspection of District Accounts offices Thatta, Hyderabad, Sanghar and Matiari and Police Stations in districts Korangi, Tando Allahyar and South Karachi would also be covered.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023