Devolution of powers ensures public service for local communities: Imran Ismail

KARACHI: Sindh Governor Imran Ismail has said the devolution of powers to the grassroots level ensures that the process of decision-making conforms to the needs of local people and communities in an area.

He was speaking with a delegation comprising probationary officers belonging to the Pakistan Audit & Accounts Service at Governor House on Monday.He said the municipal agencies had the ability of effectively performing public service for the benefit of the people in an area.

The tax policy should be effectively implemented to collect revenue from the country, he said, adding that revenue generation was the key for a government to enhance its ability to serve the masses as per its agenda.

Ismail claimed that the government had initiated a number of policies to reverse the phenomenon of economic degeneration and stagnation in the country. He said that for the purpose the government had announced privileges for the private sector, steps had been taken to resolve the issue of the circular debt, the country’s new energy policy had been announced, the government’s subsidy programme had been rationalised, while measures had been adopted to boost revenue collection.

The governor claimed that the economic system of the country had been stabilised due to the fiscal steps of the government. He said an increase in the foreign exchange reserves of the country, the strengthening of the stock market, and the enhanced output of the private and industrial sectors were some of the valid indications of the wise economic policies of the government.

The governor said the Green Line bus service had been launched while new fire engines had been imported for the city under the Karachi Transformation Plan of the government.He said some other notable welfare measures of the government included Kamyab Jawan Programme, Ehsaas Programme, health insurance cards, and an up to 30 per cent discount in the purchase of the daily-use items of the kitchen.

All these welfare measures had been adopted to bring improvement to the lives of the citizens, he said, adding that it was unfortunate that the Sindh government had not been partnering with the Centre for launching a health insurance card and ration discount schemes for the welfare of people of the province.