Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Wednesday decided to grant greater autonomy to districts, allowing development projects to be approved through local revenue resources.

Chairing a meeting with divisional commissioners, the chief minister questioned the performance of several officers, saying some officials had focused on “eye wash” instead of meaningful work on the ground.

“There should be visible relief for the public,” she said, directing commissioners to remain active in the field instead of working from air-conditioned offices.

CM Maryam expressed anger over the death of a three-year-old girl who fell into an open pit in a private housing society in Faisalabad division. She warned that housing society owners would be arrested if any citizen fell into an uncovered manhole.

She ordered authorities to obtain monthly affidavits from private housing societies confirming that no open manholes existed in their areas. She also directed officials to closely monitor the condition of public and private school buildings.

The chief minister said commissioners were the “eyes, ears and arms” of the government and must fulfil their responsibilities. She stressed that there was no room for negligence and that all work would be carried out strictly on merit without favouritism or recommendations.

Separately, at another ceremony, CM Maryam distributed allotment letters and keys for free flats to 720 labourer families under the Sundar Estate Flats Project.

Widows and differently-abled individuals were given special priority in the allocation process.

The chief minister said she was pleased to provide housing facilities to poor labourers and low-income families.