NWFP to reform land revenue system

The government of NWFP on Tuesday constituted a committee to identify long and short-term measures for improvement in the land revenue system in the province. NWFP Caretaker Chief Minister Shams-ul-Mulk stated this while addressing the participants of a presentation on land revenue here at Chief Minister's Secretariat.
Provincial Ministers, Chief Secretary, Director General National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and other administrative secretaries were also present. The committee will engage a professional firm to get professional opinion for bringing transparency to the revenue department. Provincial Minister for Finance and Planning and Development, Azam Khan will head the committee and SMBR will be its Member along with another nominee.
The chief minister said that although the existing system also carries the element of transparency but what is visibly missing, is effective implementation. He assured that the provincial government would implement the recommendations of the committee for bringing long-term and short-term improvement in the Revenue system to give some sort of relief to the poor who wonder from post to pillar and end up in search of justice.
He said that the government would avoid cosmetic efforts, as the system is so complicated that every body is the direct victim of this department. He said that the concept of computerisation of revenue is resisted by design. Whatever transparency the government can bring the existing revenue system should be facilitated.
Referring to the power and emoluments the revenue staff enjoy, the chief minister said that there should be clear and transparent yardsticks and expressed the hope that it could be put in place once the findings of the committee reach. However, he wanted to have a sustainable solution to the revenue-related problems in the province. The caretaker chief minister said that they have a stake at good governance and efficiency, the present is demanding and future will be more demanding.
He said that there should be the concept of award and punishment otherwise, we would not expect tangible results. He said that presently governance is a major issue, which he attributed partly to the weaknesses in the institutions, the capacity not commensurate with the needs and lack of approach for quality and quantity.
He was for accountability and monitoring mechanism strongly supported by proper supervision. He said that honesty, devotion and efficiency were the guiding parameters to bring transparency to the revenue system. He said that the committee would review the existing system of revenue department and would address to the basic issues.
The recommendations of the committee, he expressed the hope would lead the provincial government to overcome weaknesses, remove vested interest and resolve the problems of the people. It should also suggest the limit of powers, the scale of emoluments of the revenue staff and assured the government would take a decision for improvement. DG NAB Tahir Rafique Butt, SMBR Ihsanullah made presentation on the revenue department and the work done so far for improvement.