‘New LG system to be powerful’

LAHORE:Punjab Senior Minister Abdul Aleem Khan has said that there should be visible difference in the rural and urban areas’ Local Government systems of the province.

He said that proposal of introducing “panchayat“ system in rural areas is also under consideration and now Local Government Department will discuss with the Law Department for further process while advocate general will also be taken on board so that all stakeholders of this system could be on one page. He disclosed this while presiding over a meeting here Friday.

He stressed that detailed deliberations should be held before putting this bill in the assembly and we should review this bill from all aspects. He said that holding of new elections is not a joke and we have to ensure that such system is being introduced in which each party has free hand to come forward and contest LG elections. He informed that in the new system apart from education and health all the departments concerned would be in the domain of LG institutions.

Water supply, sewerage, farm-to-market roads and waste management will also be under the LG system so that basic issues of the masses could be resolved at local level. He said that as compared to the past this would be most powerful in the political history. Aleem Khan said that as per directions of Prime Minister Imran Khan in addition to KP, systems of developed countries were also studied before finalising recommendations of new LG system in Punjab and it would be ensured that most effective and useful system is being introduced in the province. He asked the LGs secretary to undertake full discussion and ensure clarity on each point. He said that the views of advocate general should also be sought.