RAWALPINDI: The divisional administration on Friday asked the districts of Rawalpindi to develop model union councils with all civic facilities and services.

The deputy commissioners were directed to include services like registration, Rescue 1122, revenue, Numberdars, Nadra, police and other allied departments in the model union councils. However, no date has been fixed to finalise the arrangements in this regard.

The divisional administration held a meeting with the district administrations at the commissioner’s office on Friday.

DC Rawalpindi Dr Hassan Waqar Cheema and heads of the local departments attended the meeting in person whereas DCs of Attock, Jhelum, Chakwal and Murree along with their teams participated through video link.

“Punjab government wants to improve civic facilities and resolve people’s problems in getting birth, death certificates, marriage registration and other services at the union council level, and in this regard it has asked the divisional administration to start work,” said a senior official of the divisional administration.

He added that in the first phase, district administrations will select one union council each which will be made model after consultations with the PML-N lawmakers. After this, the divisional administration will give the go-ahead signal to start work.

He said the work was likely to begin after Ramazan as the district administrations had been tasked with registering needy individuals for the launch the Ramazan package for them.

Speaking at the meeting, Commissioner Aamir Khattak directed the DCs to finalise which union council to be made as a model. Moreover, selected UCs must have a spacious building with adequate parking facilities to cater to the needs of the public. Also, proper maintenance of all access routes to the UCs must be ensured, so that the public does not face any difficulty to reach there.

He directed that desks of each service be made functional within one week so the public would not have to travel far to access these facilities.

He said the DCs should regularly visit the allocated space to ensure the quality of services at model union council. Awareness about the councils must be created among the public. Additionally, ensure all necessary facilities so that more people can avail these services.

He stated that initially one union council will be made as a model while the rest will be made models later on.

Published in Dawn, January 25th, 2025