Proposals for new LG system finalised: Punjab minister

LAHORE: For the establishment of new local government system in Punjab recommendations have been finalised and Punjab senior Minister Abdul Aleem Khan has also given approval to the recommendations and now these would be presented to Prime Minister Imran Khan for final decision.

After a high-level meeting, Minister Abdul Aleem Khan said in new system elections of local body institutions would take place not on party but popularity basis and village and neighbourhood councils would be elected where in each council there would three elected representatives while three reserved seats for youth, ladies and minority.

Abdul Aleem Khan said election of mayor and deputy mayor would be direct and on party basis which would be a new and constructive experience. He said for the first time in the history Punjab government would be handing over its developmental budget to the councillors and 30 per cent funds of Annual Development Programme (ADP) would be at the disposal of local body institutions. Abdul Aleem Khan said there would be no overlapping and jurisdiction would be very clear for local and district governments.

The senior minister said in Punjab 10 to 20 thousand people would be electing their representatives and even councillors would be recommending developmental schemes and spending lakhs of rupees for the welfare of the masses. Abdul Aleem Khan added people’s problems would be solved at local level as per their aspirations. He claimed that new local bodies’ setup in Punjab would be one of its own kind on which even political opponents cannot raise finger. Abdul Aleem Khan said that Punjab government has completed its homework in this regard and now deliberations would be presented to the Prime Minister Imran Khan for final decision which would be big and good news for the people of Punjab.

The senior minister, Secretary Local Bodies Arif Anwar Baloch and other senior officers in their briefing in the meeting said new system was not less than a challenge and for this KPK Model, 2001 Act and other countries systems were discussed and studied for the new system.