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MULTAN, March 26: Database of the National Database and Registration Authority will help local as well as provincial and federal governments in policy-making for economic development.
Highlighting the importance of a proper database, Nadra chairman Brig Saleem Ahmad Moeen (retired) told newsmen here on Wednesday that some 65 swift registration centres had been established in various parts of the country, while 120 more would be set up by the end of this year.
He said nine swift centres were working in the Multan region at present while five more would start working soon. He said efforts were afoot to ensure swift issuance of new ID cards without any delay. Nadra had set up call centres to answer queries of the people who wanted to seek information about their cards and the procedure to fill the application form.
The Nadra chairman said as many as 12.9 million people were eligible to get new NID cards in Multan region, but so far only 4.87 million had applied for the same. Of the applicants, 3.3 million had been issued cards.
He said the Nadra had also introduced a mobile unit for swift registration to access the people in far-off areas. He said a pilot project in this regard had proved successful and, therefore, its scope was now being broadened.
PANCHAYAT: The Punjab government has decided to introduce the ‘Panchayat system’ at water channel and canal levels to resolve water disputes among farmers.
This was stated by provincial irrigation minister Amer Sultan Cheema while addressing a gathering of parliamentarians, representatives of local bodies and irrigation department officials here on Wednesday.
The minister said the proposed water councils would be named ‘Khal panchayat’ and ‘Nehri panchayat’. He said the panchayat members would be elected by the area landlords and cultivators. The panchayat would decide about registration of a case against water thieves.
He said the proposed panchayats and the Irrigation Department would mutually settle the water-related issues in consultation with the elected representatives of the area.
He said a committee was working to decide whether the water rate be charged at flat rates or on the consumption of irrigation water.
He said an amount of Rs31 billion would be spent on the improvement of the irrigation system in the Punjab. Of which, Rs3.5 billion had been earmarked for Multan zone. The minister warned that action would be taken against the negligent officials if the Abasia Link Canal of Cholistan was not completed by June 30. He said an amount of Rs120 million was being spent to complete this canal.
He said the Irrigation Department was considering to take back the responsibility of upkeeping of trees and plantation alongside the canals from the Forest Department.
