Power delegation underway: Committee to finalise transfer of functions, assets
The local govt will take over various powers previously held by CDA, ICT admin
The local govt will take over various powers previously held by CDA, ICT admin. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
The federal government has formed a committee to transfer functions, assets and liabilities from the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration to the local government.
Interior Ministry Additional Secretary Tariq Mahmud Khan will head the five-member committee.
The ICT Local Government (LG) Act 2015 provides, “The (federal) government or an officer designated by the government shall, within 180 days of the commencement of this act, divide rights, assets and liabilities among the local governments and [the CDA and the ICT Administration], and the decision of the government or of the designated officer shall be final.”
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Barrister Zafarullah Khan, who is overseeing these arrangements on behalf of the government, said that technically, the whole process was supposed to officially commence after the local government elections, in line with the provisions of the ICT LG Act.
“Preparatory work is almost complete,” he added.
The Cabinet Division, the former controlling body of the capital’s civic agency, has also directed the CDA to complete pending work related to the identification of assets, liabilities and other functions, which need to be devolved.
Through a letter, available with The Express Tribune, the division has also directed the Islamabad chief commissioner to hold a meeting with stakeholders, including the CDA and the ICT Administration, to work out requirements of office buildings for members of the Metropolitan Corporation (MC).
Section 127 of the act says that until transfer of powers and functions, [the CDA and the ICT Administration] will continue to discharge functions without any interruption. Some 49 wings and directorates of the civic agency and the ICT Administration will be devolved either fully or partially to the 50 union councils and a MC, — a two-tier local government system introduced in the capital.
The wings and directorates include 47 from the CDA and two from the ICT.
In addition, the services of nearly 10,000 CDA and ICT Administration employees, who are currently working for these 49 wings and directorates, will also be surrendered to the local government.
The CDA and the ICT Administration will be responsible for paying salaries to all these employees for the first two years.
Of these 47 CDA departments, some eight directorates of the civic agency including sanitation, sports and culture, civic management, water and sewerage, zoo and wildlife and water supply, among others, will be fully devolved to the MC.
Another 19 directorates, including administration, human resource, public relations, law and information technology, will be partially devolved to the MC.
Similarly, as many as seven directorates including roads and markets maintenance, building control, enforcement and environmental protection, among others will be fully devolved to the 50 union councils.
Meanwhile, 11 directorates including revenue, finance, accounts and municipal administration, among others, will be partially devolved to the UCs and the MC. The two ICT directorates — the rural development department and UCs under ICT LG Ordinance 1979 — will be fully devolved to the local government.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 4th, 2015.
The federal government has formed a committee to transfer functions, assets and liabilities from the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration to the local government.
Interior Ministry Additional Secretary Tariq Mahmud Khan will head the five-member committee.
The ICT Local Government (LG) Act 2015 provides, “The (federal) government or an officer designated by the government shall, within 180 days of the commencement of this act, divide rights, assets and liabilities among the local governments and [the CDA and the ICT Administration], and the decision of the government or of the designated officer shall be final.”
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Barrister Zafarullah Khan, who is overseeing these arrangements on behalf of the government, said that technically, the whole process was supposed to officially commence after the local government elections, in line with the provisions of the ICT LG Act.
“Preparatory work is almost complete,” he added.
The Cabinet Division, the former controlling body of the capital’s civic agency, has also directed the CDA to complete pending work related to the identification of assets, liabilities and other functions, which need to be devolved.
Through a letter, available with The Express Tribune, the division has also directed the Islamabad chief commissioner to hold a meeting with stakeholders, including the CDA and the ICT Administration, to work out requirements of office buildings for members of the Metropolitan Corporation (MC).
Section 127 of the act says that until transfer of powers and functions, [the CDA and the ICT Administration] will continue to discharge functions without any interruption. Some 49 wings and directorates of the civic agency and the ICT Administration will be devolved either fully or partially to the 50 union councils and a MC, — a two-tier local government system introduced in the capital.
The wings and directorates include 47 from the CDA and two from the ICT.
In addition, the services of nearly 10,000 CDA and ICT Administration employees, who are currently working for these 49 wings and directorates, will also be surrendered to the local government.
The CDA and the ICT Administration will be responsible for paying salaries to all these employees for the first two years.
Of these 47 CDA departments, some eight directorates of the civic agency including sanitation, sports and culture, civic management, water and sewerage, zoo and wildlife and water supply, among others, will be fully devolved to the MC.
Another 19 directorates, including administration, human resource, public relations, law and information technology, will be partially devolved to the MC.
Similarly, as many as seven directorates including roads and markets maintenance, building control, enforcement and environmental protection, among others will be fully devolved to the 50 union councils.
Meanwhile, 11 directorates including revenue, finance, accounts and municipal administration, among others, will be partially devolved to the UCs and the MC. The two ICT directorates — the rural development department and UCs under ICT LG Ordinance 1979 — will be fully devolved to the local government.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 4th, 2015.