The 6th District Service Delivery (DSD) Conference was held here on Thursday, wherein Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Shahab Ali Shah reviewed progress on improving public services across the province and strengthening performance-based governance at the district level.
Additional Chief Secretaries, Senior Member Board of Revenue, Divisional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, Administrative Secretaries and senior officials from seven key service delivery departments attended the DSD Conference, reflecting the provincial government’s continued focus on enhancing efficiency, accountability, and citizen-centric governance at the grassroots level.
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary conducted a comprehensive performance review against the targets assigned to districts, aimed at improving the quality and accessibility of essential public services. Officials from the Performance Management and Reforms Unit (PMRU) presented a detailed briefing on progress made since the launch of the District Service Delivery initiative.
The briefing highlighted measurable improvements in multiple service delivery indicators since the first DSD Conference, indicating that the performance monitoring framework is beginning to yield tangible results. However, the meeting was also informed that while several districts have shown significant progress and high compliance with service benchmarks, some districts are still facing challenges in meeting the desired targets.
Among them, District Battagram was identified as lagging behind on certain service delivery indicators. Taking notice of the situation, the Chief Secretary directed that a comprehensive diagnostic study and gap analysis be undertaken to identify administrative, operational, and capacity-related bottlenecks affecting service delivery in the district. The findings and recommendations will be presented at the next DSD Conference for corrective action.
Addressing participants at the conclusion of the meeting, Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah appreciated the collective efforts of district administrations and departmental teams, acknowledging their commitment to improving governance standards and public service outcomes in the first phase of DSD Conference initiative.
He emphasized that consistent improvements in service delivery not only enhance public welfare but also contribute to strengthening institutional performance and professional development within the civil service.
The Chief Secretary also directed Deputy Commissioners to establish dedicated “Nerve Centers” in their respective districts to ensure real-time monitoring of service delivery indicators. These centers will serve as integrated command hubs for performance management, data-driven decision-making, and complaint redressal mechanisms.
He further informed the participants that the Provincial Nerve Center in Peshawar is nearing completion and will soon be inaugurated. Once operational, the provincial facility will be digitally linked with district-level nerve centers to create a province-wide service monitoring network, enabling the government to track performance indicators and respond swiftly to public service issues.