'RAJUK trying to restore its image through reforms'

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Once infamous for corruption and irregularities, Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) is trying hard to restore its image as a transparent and service-oriented government body through reforms and decentralization, reports BSS.
The RAJUK, the agency responsible for development of the capital, is decentralising its activities in four other parts of the metropolis to reach its services to the doorsteps of the dwellers of the mega-city. At the same time, the authorities are taking punitive actions against corrupt officials and employees, and recovering government land from illegal occupants.
"It will take three more months to bring the RAJUK to an ideal situation. We are trying our best and the institution must deliver real services to people, dumping its bad reputations of the past," RAJUK Chairman KAM Haroon told the news agency Wednesday.
An additional secretary to the government, Haroon assumed the highest office of the public body after the 11th January changeover. "After declaration of the state of emergency, various steps have been taken to bring transparency and dynamism to work and improve quality of services," he said.
A total of 42 officials and employees of the RAJUK have been suspended on various charges so far and many of them are facing departmental cases. The process of filing departmental cases against the remaining others is under way, said the RAJUK chairman.
He said about 204 acres of land under various projects of the RAJUK have been under the grip of illegal occupants. Of the total land, 42.75 acres have so far been recovered and the drive is on to evict the illegal occupants from the remaining land.
Haroon believes that the setting up of the four offices of the RAJUK in Uttara, Mohakhali, Dhanmondi and Mirpur to make its services more accessible to people through decentralisation is one of the big achievements.
The RAJUK chairman said the city-dwellers would now enjoy the facilities of mutation and land use certificates. These are required before approval of plans, refund of the money deposited for allocation of a RAJUK plot and many more important services at the four new offices.
Haroon went on, "Now people would not need to come to the RAJUK head office for many of their requirements."
He said the new RAJUK offices at Uttara, Mohakhali and Dhanmondi have already begun their activities. The setting up of a new office at Mirpur is under process, he said adding that the RAJUK is at present looking for a rental house to open the office as soon as possible.
Haroon said the RAJUK has introduced a 'time-bound' system that fixes up the date for delivery of a particular service to a particular person on receiving required papers and documents from the service-seeker.
There will be stipulated forms where names of the papers received by RAJUK officials would be written and the date for delivery of the required service mentioned.
This will ensure better services to people by stopping dilly-dallying by the officials and employees, and bringing dynamism to their activities, the RAJUK chairman said.
Referring to reform initiatives, he said as many as seven committees were formed on June 27 to submit reports within 15 days on further reforms in various activities of the RAJUK.
The RAJUK has already taken measures for amendment to laws and updating rules and training, transfer and promotion of officials and employees.
It needs some more manpower and change in the mindset of the existing ones to ensure better services to people, said the RAJUK chairman.