‘New LG system to empower people’

Minister says transfer of powers, assets should be smooth

LAHORE:

Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mehmood has said the implementation of the new local governments system in Punjab was one of the top priorities of Prime Minister Imran Khan as it would guarantee transfer of power to the people at the grassroots level.

The minister made these remarks on Monday while addressing a meeting to review the process of transfer of powers and assets to new local governments that will be constituted under the Punjab Local Government Act, 2019.

Punjab Law Minister Basharat Raja, Punjab Minister for Housing Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed, Punjab Minister for Finance Hashim Javan Bakht, Additional Chief Secretary Punjab Shaukat Ali, Finance Secretary Abdullah Sumbal and Local Government Additional Secretary Muhammad Arshad attended the meeting. Local Government Additional Chief Secretary Tahir Khurshid also joined in through video link due to Covid-19 quarantine.

Mahmood underlined the process of transfer of powers, assets and local governments elections should be completed smoothly as it is the top priority of the government.

Raja said Prime Minister Imran Khan himself attended several meetings during the preparation of the new Punjab Local Government Act, 2019 and gave full guidance to the Punjab government. “The new local government law is comprehensive in all respects and in line with the aspirations of the people.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 10^th, 2020.