'Government hospitals to get special medicine counters'

Minister for Social Welfare, Khawaja Mohammad Khan Hoti has directed to check the misuse of funds allocated for Pakistan Bait-ul-Maal projects and Food Support Programme (FSP).
In an exclusive interview to Business Recorder here on Monday, the minister said that special medicine counters would be opened in all the government hospitals for provision of medicines to poor section of the society.
Regarding free treatment projects in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the Minister said that massive misappropriation of funds was recorded in the Health Ministry projects so initially it would be difficult for them to start social welfare projects jointly.
The Ministry provides medicines under Bait-ul-Maal to help the poor patients, however, the process of provision is not transparent and special counters of Pakistan Bait-ul-Maal will be opened in the government hospitals to make this programme transparent, the Minister said.
When asked about non-implementation of 'Tawana Pakistan' project, which recorded misappropriation of Rs 60 million, the Minister said "let us not criticise the irregularities of the previous government and set an positive example for all the government institutions."
However the Minister said that though irregularities were recorded in 'Tawana Pakistan Project' yet this would be injustice to say that the project has no significance rather the scope of the project was undermined due to non-implementation.
The federal Minister said that he would pay surprise visits to Special Education Centers to supervise the services of the Special Education officials adding that he would take strict notice of the 'ghost special education institutions' and those responsible will not be spared.
The Minister said that a committee will be constituted to monitor the funds allocation and expenditure to the NGOs working in social sector and their special audit will be conducted. Regarding the audit of funds from foreign donors, the Minister replied that the Social Welfare ministry will conduct audit of the funds provided by the Ministry however the amount paid by the foreign donors could not be audited.
"Currently district Nazim holds the power to distribute the amount among poor section of the society. However, mismanagement in distribution of Pakistan Bait-ul-Maal(PBM) funds was recorded as about 20 persons in one family were rewarded with PBM amount on the basis of nepotism. The Ministry will review the whole procedure of the funds distribution under PBM," the minister said.
He said that Rs 6 million have allocated for the financial support of the poor section of the society and the ministry will emphasise to start small businesses for poverty alleviation.
Earlier, the Minister was given briefing by the Social Welfare Ministry officials regarding the welfare policy projects and overall working of the ministry. The Minister recommended inviting former minister Zobaida Jalal and also retired bureaucrats of the Social Welfare Ministry so that the ministry officials may benefit from their life long experiences.