The Local Government Department would pull out all stops to ensure the success of Swachh Bharat Mission and is taking as a mission the task of making sure that Punjab comes out top in the Swachh Bharat Sarvekshan."This was disclosed here today by the Local Government Minister, Punjab, Mr. Navjot Singh Sidhu here today at the Punjab Municipal Bhawan while presiding over the meeting of all the Commissioners of the Municipal Corporations, Executive Officers (E.O.s) and the Deputy Directors of the department.Exhorting the officers present to work diligently and devotedly towards the task of making the State count during the Swachh Bharat Sarvekshan, the minister said that to make the mission a success as well as provide a clean and green environment for the posterity a multi-pronged strategy would be adopted. Elaborating, he said that in every ward a nodal officer would be accountable for maintaining the cleanliness and hygienic standards in the area under his jurisdiction. Furthermore, the attendance of each sweeper would be marked in the biometric mode.
He further divulged that the information with regard to the Nodal Officer, and every other employee including the sweeper along with their photographs and contact details would also be made public which would be uploaded Urban Local Body (ULB) wise on the departmental website besides on the notice board of every ULB. Spelling out the visionary approach, the minister said that the E.O.s would also conduct inspection of the wards on fortnightly basis the report concerning which would be submitted to the Deputy Director Local Government who would in turn send the same to the Director, Local Government. The minister further said that the wards would be graded on the various parameters of development of which hygiene would be the main component.
Addressing the issue of payment of salaries to the sweepers, the minister made it clear that the amount pertaining to the payment of salary to contractual outsourced employees would be released only after thorough verification of the bank statement of every employee that they have received last payment in their bank accounts. Batting for transparency in the implementation of goals related to the mission, the minister directed that the entire exercise must be completed by the 29th of January after which he would undertake a tour of each and every ward to keep abreast of the actual ground position. The Commissioner of Municipal Corporation Bathinda, President Nagar Council Nawanshahar and Regional Deputy Director Patiala Jeewanjot Kaur also showcased the success stories of the mission in their respective areas. On the occasion, the Advisor to the Department Dr. Amar Singh, Principal Secretary Local Government Mr. A. Venu Prasad and the CEO of Punjab Municipal Infrastructure Development Company (PMIDC) Mr. Ajoy Sharma were also present.