Grassroots representation: Local governments get Rs279.66 billion

Govt anticipates that elected local govt setup will be in place this year

LAHORE: The provincial government has allocated Rs279.66 billion for local governments and related agencies in the 2016-17 budget.

According to budget documents, of the Rs437.55 billion reserved for general public services, Rs279.66 billion has been earmarked for local governments and related entities and Rs157.88 billion for executive and legislative organs.

“It is anticipated that the new local government setup will be installed in 2016-17. The government is working on devising a new Provincial Finance Commission (PFC) Award keeping in view the structures and functions of the local governments as envisaged under the Punjab Local Government Act (PLGA), 2013. As such, the allocation for transfers to district governments, tehsil municipal administrations, union administrations and cantonment boards has been kept at the level of Fiscal Year 2015-16,” the documents states.

The document narrates the government’s vision of supporting local governments by improving their financial and institutional capacity for effective and efficient delivery of municipal services. Stress has been laid on the need for improved planning and resource management.



A strategy has been devised for restructuring and reforming operations of model cattle markets and eliminating extortion, corruption, role of middlemen and official mafias. It says that such markets have already been established in Sheikhupura and Faisalabad.

Filling of rainwater ponds has been initiated to improve general sanitation and to help control water-borne vector diseases. Land reclaimed from filling 37 ponds is being used for 36 multi-purpose parks. Boundary walls of 25 graveyards have been constructed in the year 2015-16. Improvement in solid waste management in rural and urban area through infrastructure support and capacity building is also underway, the document states.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 14^th, 2016.