Conceive uplift schemes to utilise LG funds: minister

LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Law and Local Government Muhammad Basharat Raja has said that the local government system is the best tool to transfer powers to the grassroots.

He was addressing a meeting arranged by the Local Govt. & Community Development (LG&CD) Department at Civil Secretariat on Tuesday. The meeting was attended, among others, by the secretary and other officers of LG&CD Department.

When he was briefed that the local governments had billions of rupees unspent, he directed preparation of development schemes to utilise th funds. He directed that steps be taken to revive the formal tradition of holding horse & cattle shows in Punjab. He directed the local government institutions to ensure waste management at the union council level. He said he would pay surprise visits to check the cleanliness in the urban and rural areas.

He also directed the authorities concerned to initiate modern cleanliness project in 118 union councils of Punjab in collaboration with the Word Bank. He stressed for a comprehensive awareness campaign particularly in the rural areas to signify the importance of the cleanliness.

The minister said it was a crucial part of Pakistan Tehreek-e- Insaf’s policies to empower the local government representatives is. Basharat Raja stressed that the role of LG&CD Department was vital to make Prime Minister’s Programme “Clean and Green Pakistan” a success.