PESHAWAR: Provincial Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Arshad Ayub Khan, said on Thursday that reforms were being introduced within the department and its subsidiary bodies.
“The department is undergoing digitization, and a new lease policy has been approved to strengthen institutions by eliminating corruption,” he said while addressing an award ceremony. Cash prizes and certificates were distributed among Water and Sanitation Services Peshawar (WSSP) employees for their excellent performance during the Eidul Azha operation.
The ceremony was attended by Deputy Commissioner Afaq Wazir, Secretary of Local Government Muhammad Dawood Khan, Commissioner Peshawar, and CEO WSSP Riaz Mehsud, and others.
Employees demonstrating exceptional performance will be rewarded, while those with poor performance will be guided toward improvement.The minister distributed cash prizes to 52 employees and certificates to 17 management officials, totaling Rs520,000.
He praised the sanitation campaign conducted across the province during Eidul Azha, highlighting WSSP’s performance in Peshawar.The minister said the government provided an annual grant of Rs7 billion to seven sanitation companies in the province.
The caretaker government, he lamented, halted payment for basic services, causing difficulties to the WSSP and other institutions. But due to the interest of Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, significant arrears have been paid, with the remaining expected to be cleared in the next three to four months, said the minister.
He said that institutions should not always rely on government grants and must work towards increasing their revenue to become self-sufficient.The government is considering various options, including granting more autonomy to institutions, to bring about reforms and increase transparency, added the minister.Secretary Local Government Dawood Khan commended the successful teamwork that led to the effective Eidul Azha cleanliness campaign, receiving praise from all sectors of society.
