New beginning: Capital’s first local govt gets off to a smooth start
Mayor says his focus will be on implementing five-point agenda
Mayor Sheikh Ansar Aziz addressing the first meeting of the corporation at Pak-China Friendship Centre. PHOTO: ONLINE
ISLAMABAD:
The capital’s first local government set in motion on Monday after a lapse of nine months since the local government polls were held in November last with the presentation of its budget for the financial year 2016-17.
Chief Metropolitan Officer Asad Mehboob Kiyani presented Rs10 billion non-development budget demanding the government to immediately release Rs8 billion grant for the corporation to pay off salaries and other expenditures.
“The local government got off to a good start,” the city’s first Mayor Sheikh Ansar Aziz said unveiling his plan during the first meeting of the corporation here at Pak-China Friendship Centre.
The session was attended by over 60 members of the corporation.
Aziz had been categorically stating the difficulties during the last eight months in wresting the powers from the bureaucracy.
The mayor said his focus would be on implementing his five-point plan he had presented during his election campaign.
Clean water issue
The real challenge for the newly-installed metropolitan corporation would be the provision of clean and safe drinking water to the capital’s over two million population, the mayor said.
“I discussed the issue with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif a few days ago requesting him to play his role in removing hurdles in the way of implementing the project,” Ansar informed the house.
He said it was due to the intervention of the premier that Sindh agreed to allocate 74 cusecs of water for the capital from its share.
“Council of Common Interests (CCI) had approved this project, but it got delayed due to disagreement showed by Sindh,” Aziz said.
He added that the World Bank has shown a willingness to fund the initial study of the project.
Aziz was of the view that once completed the project would meet water needs of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad for the next five decades.
Other issues are solid waste management, provision of affordable public transport to the people and construction of a modern slaughterhouse to end illegal slaughtering, the sale of unhygienic meat and to bridge the widening gap between rural and urban population.
The mayor also constituted a seven-member committee for the formulation of rules of business of the house.
The leader of the opposition in the corporation, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI)’s Ali Awan assured the mayor of his party’s support in this regard saying there is a dire need to address the issue of water.
He suggested laying an additional lane from Simly Dam to increase water supply.
Transport issue
The mayor said the IMC had already started working on decent transport service. He said feeding routes to Metro Bus Service would soon be introduced.
“Under the plan, buses will be run on almost six new routes across Islamabad,” Aziz said adding radio cab service will also be introduced soon.
Waste Management
Talking about solid waste management, he said, a company would soon be formed for collection and disposal of solid waste.
Devolution of departments
The Capital Development Authority (CDA) Monday notified devolution of 23 of its 49 departments and transfer of some 6,000 employees to the elected body.
The CDA said a two-member committee had been formed to finalise the distribution of functions within three months.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 28th, 2016.
The capital’s first local government set in motion on Monday after a lapse of nine months since the local government polls were held in November last with the presentation of its budget for the financial year 2016-17.
Chief Metropolitan Officer Asad Mehboob Kiyani presented Rs10 billion non-development budget demanding the government to immediately release Rs8 billion grant for the corporation to pay off salaries and other expenditures.
“The local government got off to a good start,” the city’s first Mayor Sheikh Ansar Aziz said unveiling his plan during the first meeting of the corporation here at Pak-China Friendship Centre.
The session was attended by over 60 members of the corporation.
Aziz had been categorically stating the difficulties during the last eight months in wresting the powers from the bureaucracy.
The mayor said his focus would be on implementing his five-point plan he had presented during his election campaign.
Clean water issue
The real challenge for the newly-installed metropolitan corporation would be the provision of clean and safe drinking water to the capital’s over two million population, the mayor said.
“I discussed the issue with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif a few days ago requesting him to play his role in removing hurdles in the way of implementing the project,” Ansar informed the house.
He said it was due to the intervention of the premier that Sindh agreed to allocate 74 cusecs of water for the capital from its share.
“Council of Common Interests (CCI) had approved this project, but it got delayed due to disagreement showed by Sindh,” Aziz said.
He added that the World Bank has shown a willingness to fund the initial study of the project.
Aziz was of the view that once completed the project would meet water needs of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad for the next five decades.
Other issues are solid waste management, provision of affordable public transport to the people and construction of a modern slaughterhouse to end illegal slaughtering, the sale of unhygienic meat and to bridge the widening gap between rural and urban population.
The mayor also constituted a seven-member committee for the formulation of rules of business of the house.
The leader of the opposition in the corporation, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI)’s Ali Awan assured the mayor of his party’s support in this regard saying there is a dire need to address the issue of water.
He suggested laying an additional lane from Simly Dam to increase water supply.
Transport issue
The mayor said the IMC had already started working on decent transport service. He said feeding routes to Metro Bus Service would soon be introduced.
“Under the plan, buses will be run on almost six new routes across Islamabad,” Aziz said adding radio cab service will also be introduced soon.
Waste Management
Talking about solid waste management, he said, a company would soon be formed for collection and disposal of solid waste.
Devolution of departments
The Capital Development Authority (CDA) Monday notified devolution of 23 of its 49 departments and transfer of some 6,000 employees to the elected body.
The CDA said a two-member committee had been formed to finalise the distribution of functions within three months.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 28th, 2016.