CS wants reforms, digitisation accelerated

PESHAWAR: Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah on Monday directed administrative secretaries and other senior officials to review departmental progress to strengthen governance and promote transparency.

An official handout said that he was chairing a meeting that discussed steps to expedite public service delivery across the province. During the meeting, the chief secretary announced that the implementation mechanism for the province’s paperless government initiative under the e-Office system was in place with the formal launch scheduled for April 30.

He said that the system was undergoing testing, and once operational, it was expected to enhance transparency, save time and improve administrative efficiency through complete digitization.

In a key move to attract domestic and foreign investments, the chief secretary highlighted the importance of a Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) cell within the Planning and Development Department. He said that working groups had been notified under the SIFC investment acceleration framework.

A comprehensive project inventory document, detailing investment-ready projects and sectoral priorities, was set to be launched by May 30, he added.

The chief secretary directed departments to prioritize high-impact projects and those nearing completion to accelerate benefits to the public. Reviewing the release and utilization of development funds, the chief secretary stressed the need for timely expenditure, particularly on schemes aimed at public welfare.

A centralized project tracking system has been put in place to monitor progress on critical initiatives, with all departments instructed to ensure strict compliance with timelines, the meeting was told.

Public-private partnership (PPP) initiatives also featured prominently in the meeting. Officials presented tourism-related PPP projects, including recreational parks and motorways. He said that the province was moving forward with plans to outsource eight newly established primary schools through the PPP model.

The chief secretary instructed the concerned departments to develop a timeline-based implementation mechanism for all new PPP projects to ensure streamlined execution.

In procurement reforms, the E-PADs e-procurement system—already launched in eight major departments—will be made mandatory for all future tendering processes and extended to all departments by July 1, in a bid to ensure transparency and efficiency. Updates were also shared on major infrastructure developments, including progress on the Northern Section of the Ring Road and development plans for Regi Model Town and Hayatabad’s Model Sector, under the Peshawar Development Authority.