October 08, 2006	Sunday	Ramazan 14, 1427

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FAISALABAD, Oct 7: The Population Welfare department is finding it hard to effectively disseminate the message of population control because of location of its offices which are established in rented buildings across the Punjab.

Sources said the fact had been noticed by Punjab Chief Secretary Salman Siddique, who in a letter, asked the district governments to extend full assistance to the department in identifying and acquiring suitable land for setting up independent offices across the province.

The chief secretary’s letter reads: “ I must stress that benefits of economic growth for the population of the Punjab would be significantly higher if the province is able to reduce its population growth rate.”

He further stated that support of the district governments was integral to the success of the Population Welfare Programme. “Therefore, it is imperative that district governments could fully cooperate and land acquisition for this purpose should be completed at an early date.” It says.

The sources said the chief secretary had made it clear that the department concerned would provide necessary funds for the purpose.

They said the department had been struggling for months to acquire land for shifting its offices from rented buildings to the government complexes. However, its efforts were being hampered because of the lethargic attitude of the local officials, which made the department to ask the chief secretary for intervention, the sources added.

An officer said requesting anonymity that despite ample funds being provided by the government to educate people on population control, the department was finding it difficult to make effective contact with the stakeholders as its offices were located in anonymous rented buildings

“We are dragging our heels to acquire government land or space in its complexes. But, no positive response has been received from any quarter so far,” he said.

Punjab population welfare minister Ms Nasim Lodhi also admitted that at present the department had to run its offices in rented buildings that failed to attract masses. She said with shifting of the offices in government buildings, the department’s task of creating awareness on population control would become easier.

However, she remained tight-lipped about the alleged non-cooperation from the district governments, and said every thing was going well and soon land would be available for the purpose.