Merged areas termed ‘local areas’ to facilitate LG polls

Representation ratio in tehsil council for women, youth, farmers and minorities fixed

PESHAWAR: The provincial government on Tuesday decided to grant 49 tehsils of the newly-merged tribal districts (NMTDs) and the settled areas the status of local areas for holding local government elections there.

This was decided during a meeting of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Cabinet which met at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat on Tuesday.

“The government is sincere in taking practical steps to fulfil its constitutional responsibilities for the timely conduct of local bodies elections throughout the province, including the newly-merged tribal districts,” stated CM Mahmood Khan as he chaired the cabinet meeting. He further directed all departments to prepare rules for the enactment of rules within a month.

As proceedings began on Tuesday, the cabinet noted that under Sections 4 and 5 of the K-P Local Government Act 2013, it was imperative that the new tehsils set up by the Board of Revenue under the law as part of the delimitation process, are formally granted the status of local areas because the upcoming local body elections will be conducted at the tehsil and subdivision level.

The provincial cabinet also agreed to fix the ratio of representation in the tehsil council for women, youth, farmers and minorities at 33 per cent and the rest at five per cent respectively.

The cabinet also reviewed the Sustainable Development Strategy for the province for the next four years from 2019-23. Prepared by the K-P Planning and Development Department, it presents a road map for the development of the province, reconciling reforms and redefining the direction for K-P’s socio-economic development.

The provincial cabinet also approved the Tribal Electric Supply Company (TESCO) 10-year Tribal Decade Strategy, giving responsibilities and resources to the energy and power department for onward developmental activities.

The cabinet also approved the K-P Whistle-blower Protection and Vigilance Commission Rules 2019. As part of the rules, a search and scrutiny committee —headed by the chief secretary and including members such as the Additional chief secretary, secretaries of law and establishment divisions and a member of provincial assembly — will recruit the commission’s chairman and commissioners.

An exemption for the Communications and Works Department for continuing and accelerating work on a 59-kilometre-long road widening project in Swat was approved.

The cabinet also approved a motion to change the name of the Katlang Interchange on the Swat Expressway to the Babuzai Interchange. It also agreed to rename Swati Gate Peshawar as Jansher Khan Road after the legendary squash player.

It also gave nod to promote various officers in the provincial ombudsman’s office.

A 13-member committee was formed with the special assistant to the chief minister on Industries to review the process of inspecting industrial units in the province. It will work to update the policy as per modern needs and introduce an inspection-free regime ensuring minimal human intervention and providing ‘’ease to do business and facilities’’ to attract mass investment in the province. The committee will include the Law minister along with the secretaries of Law, Forests, Local Government, Excise, Health, Home, Industries, Labour, Agriculture, and Energy along with the Board of Investment’s chief executive officer.

The provincial cabinet also approved the K-P Universities (Second Amendment) Bill, 2019, extending the K-P Universities Act 2012, to the erstwhile federally administered tribal areas (Fata) and provincially administered tribal areas (Pata) bringing all universities under a single umbrella.

The cabinet also agreed to grant health allowance to employees of the now-defunct Special Education Directorate General in light of a decision by the court.

The cabinet also formally approved policy guidelines for the Annual Development Plan (ADP) in light of Rules of Business 1985 and the verdict of the high court. The policy will be linked to the achievement of targets, promoting regional development across the province, investment in ADP in conjunction with other sectors including the foreign projects assistance, public sector development, district budget, transparency of ADP, allocation and spending under the share of the districts, tehsils etc.

The cabinet also approved a special compensation package for the goods which were either lost or destroyed in the markets of Miran Shah and Mir Ali in the North Waziristan Tribal District during the Zarb-e-Azb military operation. A report prepared by a special committee suggested Rs2.809 billion as compensation for Mir Ali Bazaar and Rs331.454 million for Miran Shah Bazaar.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 23^rd, 2019.