Lahore: Punjab Minister for Social Welfare and Bait-ul-Maal Sohail Shaukat Butt on Saturday directed a review of the NGO registration, regulation and monitoring system and sought comprehensive reforms to improve public service delivery across the province.
He issued the directions while chairing a meeting of newly appointed directors of the Social Welfare Department, attended by Director General Social Welfare Dr Shahenshah Faisal Azeem and all departmental directors.
The minister directed the department’s various wings to propose practical measures for improving their performance and making services more efficient and accessible to the public, in line with the vision of Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif.
He ordered a comprehensive review of the existing registration and regulatory standard operating procedures (SOPs) for NGOs and directed the preparation of revised guidelines. He also called for an effective mechanism to identify and verify bank accounts of registered NGOs and a framework for approving local and international projects.
Reviewing the performance of the NGO Wing, Sohail Shaukat Butt directed officials to prepare a comprehensive roadmap for better utilisation of the services of registered organisations. He also sought a detailed presentation within two weeks on the performance of Sanatzars across Punjab over the past two years, covering the number of people trained, income generation, market linkages, gaps in product designing and manufacturing, facilities for persons with disabilities, budget and future plans.
The meeting also reviewed the performance of Medical Social Services Units (MSSUs), with the minister emphasising timely facilities and financial assistance for poor and deserving patients.
He directed the department to submit a comprehensive presentation within two weeks on MSSU staffing, future expansion, service improvements, awareness campaigns and utilisation of funds. He also sought a detailed briefing on the mechanism for assisting patients through Pakistan Bait-ul-Maal and Punjab Bait-ul-Maal.
The minister further directed the formulation of a rotation policy for assistant directors posted at MSSUs, making it clear that their tenure at any one hospital would not exceed two years. The meeting also discussed referral, assessment and rehabilitation mechanisms for deserving individuals, including senior citizens.
The minister said the Punjab government was committed to taking all possible measures to address public issues promptly and further improve the department’s service delivery.