PESHAWAR, Feb 1, 2010: NWFP Minister for Population Welfare Saleem Khan has expressed dissatisfaction over the poor performance of certain district population welfare officers in achieving the set targets of the department and directed them to improve their performance within next five months.

“We will take drastic actions against these officers if they did not achieve the set targets and improve their performance within next five months,” said the minister while chairing a mid-year performance review meeting of the population welfare department in Abbottabad.

The meeting, besides other matters related to the department, reviewed in detail the steps taken for the implementation of the decisions taken in the last review meeting, the overall performance of the department during the last six months and the individual performance of all district population welfare offices.

Secretary Population Welfare Muzaffar Afridi, Director General Noor Nawaz Khan, all the district population welfare officers and other authorities attended the meeting.While addressing the meeting, Saleem Khan said the budget allocated to the department is a secret trust of the public and every single penny of it must be utilized for the welfare of the public, adding the district managers have a vital role in this regard.

He urged the DPWs to develop good working relations with their subordinates and monitor the work of their field staff in order to improve the overall performance of the department.Saleem Khan directed the high-ups of the department to formulate a scientific system of monitoring the attendance in district offices and an effective mechanism of evaluating their performance and submit him monthly report in this regard.

The meeting also reviewed progress on the Reproductive Health Service Centers being established in Shangla, D.I.Khan, Chitral and Swabi. On this occasion, Saleem Khan said that every year an award ceremony would be held in which individuals with good performance will be awarded with shields, commendation certificates and cash prizes.--APP