LAKKI MARWAT: The district administration has introduced a set of financial discipline measures and a digitised oversight system aimed at improving transparency and ensuring responsible use of development funds.

An official of the district administration claimed that the reforms followed an internal review which identified long-standing issues such as duplication of schemes, weak feasibility assessments and inconsistent record-keeping.

He said that the deputy commissioner, Hameedullah Khan, directed departments to adopt a more structured and evidence-based approach to project planning and approvals.

“A central part of the new process is a digitised pre-DDC inspection and assessment proforma,” maintained the official, saying that this mechanism requires every proposed development scheme to undergo technical scrutiny, physical verification and documentation before it is placed before the District Development Committee (DDC).

He said that the aim was to prevent duplication, inflated estimates, poorly prepared PC-Is and schemes lacking community value.

According to the official, the new system functions as an early filter to identify discrepancies and halt questionable proposals.

“Departments are now required to submit data-backed verifiable projects rather than relying on past practices or incomplete information,” he added.

He revealed that for years, the district operated with fragmented administrative records where schemes overlapped, old files resurfaced under new names and technical details were not properly preserved.

“The new digital database is intended to serve as an updated and permanent record of all roads, water supply networks, schools and other infrastructure schemes,” he stated.

The official said that each entry included site coordinates, geo-tagged photographs, feasibility assessments and beneficiary details.

He said that the new approach would make monitoring more straightforward and provide a clear basis for decision-making, besides helping to build an institutional memory to reduce dependence on manual files or individual officers’ recollection.

“Another reform underway is the digitisation of service histories for government employees,” he remarked, adding that postings, promotions, qualifications and other career data, previously scattered in physical registers, are being consolidated into a digital record.

He said that the move would prove helpful to support better human resource management and reduce administrative gaps.

“While the reforms will take time to show visible results on the ground, the administration believes the foundation has been laid for more transparent and structured development planning in the district,” the official added.

Published in Dawn, November 22nd, 2025