‘LG funds to be increased in Punjab’

LAHORE: Punjab Finance Minister Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht said that resources will be distributed to the district governments under a regular formula under the next Provincial Finance Commission (PFC).

The minister expressed these views during a briefing on the Provincial Financial Awards in a meeting with Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Muhammad Jahanzeb Khan at the Finance Department.

He was accompanied by Finance Secretary Abdullah Sumbal, Secretary Planning and Development Imran Sikandar and officers of the Finance Department.

Local government funds will be increased and the scope of powers will be expanded in order to improve the delivery of services at the local level. Additionally, the areas with natural resources will be given a share in royalties and profits.

Similarly, recommendations from local governments will be given priority for development work under district-level projects in the districts, the minister said.

Expressing satisfaction over the steps taken to provide resources to the district governments in Punjab, the Deputy Chairman Planning Commission said that Prime Minister Imran Khan wanted the provision of services at the public level and positive response from the administration.

To this end, the efficiency of the district governments was being improved, he said. The minister directed the Secretary Planning & Development Board to make the Punjab Statistics Agency more functional and instruct it to provide the relevant statistics to all the departments.