Govt initiates process to install PLGA system
Notification highlights description of local govt officers, servants as per decisions of provincial cabinet
PHOTO: REUTERS
LAHORE:
Punjab government has initiated the process to constitute new local governments across the province under the Punjab Local Government Act, 2019 (PLGA-2019).
Presiding over a meeting here on Wednesday, Punjab Local Government and Community Development (LG&CD) Department Secretary Ahmad Javed Qazi directed chief officers to start the implementation of Schedule of Establishment (SoE), which lays the foundation of a smooth transition from defunct system to new local governments under the Punjab Local Government Act, 2019.
The SoE notification speaks about the description of local government officers and servants as per the provision of the PLGA-2019 and decisions of the provincial cabinet. The notification highlighted that all affairs for the smooth financial transition from the defunct local governments to the succeeding local governments in Punjab would be conducted as per the provision of the Interim Schedule of Establishment (ISOE).
LG System: Govt to finally tackle transition from old to new
The Punjab Cabinet in its 20th meeting on November 5, permitted that the accounts of defunct local governments shall remain operational for a period of two months ie until January 5, 2020, as the bank accounts of the succeeding local governments are yet to be opened.
In order to operate the existing bank accounts of the defunct local governments, the posts of existing competent authorities for the operation of such bank accounts of defunct local government shall be required to continue. Such posts already exist in the ISOE (Part-1), as already notified by the LG&CD Department, of all succeeding local governments except for the posts which shall operate the bank accounts of defunct local government ie ‘District Council’.
In view of the above, the posts of Chief Officer, District Officer (Finance), Resident Director, Resident Deputy Director, Resident Assistant Director and Resident Audit Officer are created in the succeeding local governments in order to enable smooth operation of the bank accounts of defunct district councils.
It pointed out that in case of Rawalpindi, Multan, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Bahawalpur and other bigger cities, where areas of city (revenue) tehsils of such districts have been included in the local area of a metropolitan corporation or a municipal corporation then the tehsil councils of their tehsils shall be considered as ‘Tehsil Councils of the District HQ Tehsil’ for the purposes of this notification.
It further clarified that no substantial posting of any officer from any service shall be made against the posts mentioned above.
The competent authority shall assign additional charge of these posts to other officers for the purposes of proper operation of existing bank accounts of defunct local government ie ‘District Council’ till such bank accounts of defunct ‘District Council’ are closed as per instructions issued by the LG&CD Department in consultation with the Finance Department.
It is further clarified that there shall be no financial implication of the posts created under the ISOE and these posts shall remain valid till January 5, 2020.
The Punjab Cabinet in its 20th session approved various amendments in the PLGA-2019. Under the amendments, taking part in local bodies’ elections will be permitted through political parties or electoral panel.
Tender for Pakistan Post software system awarded ‘at high cost’
Religious minorities will have the right to vote for reserve as well as general seats. Returning Officers will announce the results and in case of any complaint, election tribunal will decide under election act.
The meeting gave approval to amendments in Punjab Village Panchayats and Neighbourhood Councils Act, 2019. Delimitation of local areas under Punjab Demarcation of Local Areas Rules, 2019 and establishment of succeeding local governments under Punjab Local Government Act, 2019 were given approval, as well.
As many as 455 local governments will be constituted in the whole of the province. The meeting approved revision of the Punjab Municipal Services Programme and local governments will complete road repair and maintenance.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 12th, 2019.
Punjab government has initiated the process to constitute new local governments across the province under the Punjab Local Government Act, 2019 (PLGA-2019).
Presiding over a meeting here on Wednesday, Punjab Local Government and Community Development (LG&CD) Department Secretary Ahmad Javed Qazi directed chief officers to start the implementation of Schedule of Establishment (SoE), which lays the foundation of a smooth transition from defunct system to new local governments under the Punjab Local Government Act, 2019.
The SoE notification speaks about the description of local government officers and servants as per the provision of the PLGA-2019 and decisions of the provincial cabinet. The notification highlighted that all affairs for the smooth financial transition from the defunct local governments to the succeeding local governments in Punjab would be conducted as per the provision of the Interim Schedule of Establishment (ISOE).
LG System: Govt to finally tackle transition from old to new
The Punjab Cabinet in its 20th meeting on November 5, permitted that the accounts of defunct local governments shall remain operational for a period of two months ie until January 5, 2020, as the bank accounts of the succeeding local governments are yet to be opened.
In order to operate the existing bank accounts of the defunct local governments, the posts of existing competent authorities for the operation of such bank accounts of defunct local government shall be required to continue. Such posts already exist in the ISOE (Part-1), as already notified by the LG&CD Department, of all succeeding local governments except for the posts which shall operate the bank accounts of defunct local government ie ‘District Council’.
In view of the above, the posts of Chief Officer, District Officer (Finance), Resident Director, Resident Deputy Director, Resident Assistant Director and Resident Audit Officer are created in the succeeding local governments in order to enable smooth operation of the bank accounts of defunct district councils.
It pointed out that in case of Rawalpindi, Multan, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Bahawalpur and other bigger cities, where areas of city (revenue) tehsils of such districts have been included in the local area of a metropolitan corporation or a municipal corporation then the tehsil councils of their tehsils shall be considered as ‘Tehsil Councils of the District HQ Tehsil’ for the purposes of this notification.
It further clarified that no substantial posting of any officer from any service shall be made against the posts mentioned above.
The competent authority shall assign additional charge of these posts to other officers for the purposes of proper operation of existing bank accounts of defunct local government ie ‘District Council’ till such bank accounts of defunct ‘District Council’ are closed as per instructions issued by the LG&CD Department in consultation with the Finance Department.
It is further clarified that there shall be no financial implication of the posts created under the ISOE and these posts shall remain valid till January 5, 2020.
The Punjab Cabinet in its 20th session approved various amendments in the PLGA-2019. Under the amendments, taking part in local bodies’ elections will be permitted through political parties or electoral panel.
Tender for Pakistan Post software system awarded ‘at high cost’
Religious minorities will have the right to vote for reserve as well as general seats. Returning Officers will announce the results and in case of any complaint, election tribunal will decide under election act.
The meeting gave approval to amendments in Punjab Village Panchayats and Neighbourhood Councils Act, 2019. Delimitation of local areas under Punjab Demarcation of Local Areas Rules, 2019 and establishment of succeeding local governments under Punjab Local Government Act, 2019 were given approval, as well.
As many as 455 local governments will be constituted in the whole of the province. The meeting approved revision of the Punjab Municipal Services Programme and local governments will complete road repair and maintenance.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 12th, 2019.