Directive to update LG assets record before PFC Award

LAHORE:Punjab Finance Minister Hashim Jawan Bakht on Tuesday directed the finance department to get explanations on Section 189 and 190 of new Local Government Act 2019 so that no lacuna left once the provincial government timely awards the next Provincial Finance Commission.

The minister also instructed the local government department to provide the updated record of local governments’ assets and information technology should be used in preparing the record so that the government could be able to get aware of available assets and resources of the local government prior to announcing the PFC Award.

The minister issued these instructions chairing the maiden meeting of Punjab PFC Award. The meeting was attended by MPA Sardar Muhammad Awais Dreshak, Abdul Rehman Rana, Secretary Finance Abdullah Sumbal, Secretary Local Government Ahmed Javeed Qazi, Senior Consultant for Public Finance Management Faisal Rasheed and other members of the Commission.

The meeting reviewed distribution of resources under new Local Government Act, required amendment to existing PFC Award, and explaining the distribution of grants under the defined laws.

The local government representatives briefed the meeting that under 2017 interim PFC Award local government share was 37.5 percent from provincial resources while special development grant was 6.5 percent. The 2017 interim PFC Award was made on formula, based on population, poverty, out-of-school children, 15 to 49 years women population and access to safe drinking water. graft: Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht has said that sub-national governance programme will be utilised for the elimination of corruption as well as ensuring transparency in Local Government Department, Municipal Corporation and property tax sector.

He stated this while meeting with a team of sub-national governance programme at PRA office Tuesday. He said that programmes would be formulated for achieving reforms agenda. The government is contemplating to revise the drafting of PC-1 adding that financial management, business planning and identification of timeline at every step are more important than the number of class-IV employees associated with the drafting of PC-1.

tree planting at PU: Punjab Minister for Agriculture Malik Nauman Ahmed Langrial launched one lakh tree plantation campaign at Punjab University’s Institute of Agricultural Sciences here Tuesday.

PU Vice-Chancellor Prof Niaz Ahmed, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Saleem Mazhar, IAGS Director Prof Dr Saleem Haider, officials and a large number of students were present on the occasion.

According to details, in this campaign, 100,000 trees of various types would be planted on all campuses of Punjab University. Addressing the students, the minister said plantation of maximum trees was a must for survival of life on earth. He said the world was facing horrific problems due to climatic changes and now there was no moment to waste.

CS: Punjab Chief Secretary Yousaf Naseem Khokhar presided over a meeting of the Annual Development Programme at the Planning and Development Board on the completion of the first quarter to review the progress of development programmes of all departments.

Planning and Development Board Secretary Imran Sikander Baloch, Secretary Finance, Abdullah Sumbul and secretaries of all administrative departments were present in the meeting.