PM Shehbaz instructs Ministry of Information Technology to make Digital Flood Dashboard more credible, transparent
ISLAMABAD, Oct 03 (SABAH): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has instructed the Ministry of Information Technology to make the dashboard for real-time monitoring of relief being provided to flood victims more credible and transparent as per international standards.
PM Shehbaz Sharif was speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the dashboard that was postponed as Prime Minister suggested some important improvement in it.
On this occasion, after a detailed briefing on flood related relief activities by various departments, the Prime Minister also directed to hold a conference of international donors on Thursday to request them for arranging most needed food items, medicines and shelters.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif raised several questions on the dashboard and expressed dissatisfaction over the missing features.
PM Shehbaz Sharif said that if it does not show useful, real-time data for cloudbursts and maps, it is quite useless. “The dashboard is not of a standard that meets my and the nation’s expectations, and we should design a dashboard which the whole nation should be proud of,” he added.
The premier exemplified a dashboard on dengue outbreak by the Punjab government during his stint as chief minister, which he said had got international recognition as it had contained all the relevant information like hotspots and the provided facilities.
He pointed out the shortcomings in the design and called for further improvements to enable it to meet the nation’s needs and effectively reflect the coordinated efforts being made by the government for relief and rehabilitation of the flood-stricken people.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the flood relief dashboard must contain all the relevant information about every item where the relief items like quilts and baby food were sent and where they came from.
He said the government would provide all required support for the development of the dashboard, which should not be a makeshift arrangement rather a facility usable even for decades.
He also complained that the dashboard was not fast enough, adding that a lagging portal would not reflect the loss suffered due to the floods as well as the government’s efforts to mitigate their fallout.
The prime minister said that with upcoming international conventions and moots on the horizon, he wanted the dashboard to be of a certain standard and in line with modern expectations.
PM Shehbaz Shehbaz suggested that the project could be “provisionally” launched today but officially launched next Monday after incorporating his suggestions and criticisms.
Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhry, Information Technology Minister Syed Aminul Haque and other officials tried to assuage the situation and placate the premier’s concerns about the portal.
The prime minister was assured by the officials that they would resolve the issues he had outlined and convert the dashboard into a real-time platform in a week’s span.
PM Shehbaz Sharif told the two federal ministers to take all the help they needed but develop a “world class” dashboard, adding that it would aid the government for decades to come and any “makeshift” work would be of no benefit.
The prime minister also took updates and briefings on various flood-related topics from officials at the event.
Earlier, speaking on the occasion Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal stressed the need to prepare ourselves for dealing negative impacts of climate change.
The Minister said the dashboard that is being developed will help us dealing any future disaster management through efficient coordination mechanism.