Stops and starts with devolution: Hiring of support staff on hold till results announced

Over 3,500 secretaries needed to kick-start the new local government system

PESHAWAR:

The local government department has provided a summary of staff recruitment for newly-elected councilors. This staff will be needed to run the new local government system.

Insiders familiar with the matter told The Express Tribune on Friday the department will need to recruit 3,501 secretaries and class-IV employees – one for each village or neighbourhood council. The secretaries must be grade-VII employees.

The LG department placed an advertisement in newspapers earlier this week for the recruitment of secretaries and class-IV employees. It received a large number of applications and shortlisted a few candidates for the post. However, the recruitment process has been put on hold as the election commission has directed the department not to hire anyone until the final results are announced.

In the interim

Under Section 106 of the K-P Local Government Act 2013, the department is not allowed to make fresh recruitments during the transition period without the government’s approval. However, according to Section 106(2), the LG department can utilise the services of employees in its surplus pool to fill the vacancies in the meantime.

According to an insider, the department will be expected to utilise employees available in surplus pool along with employees who were working under the previous set-up. “Although they will be utilised, remaining employees will have to be recruited,” said the official.

Uncertainty 

When contacted, Local Government Secretary Jamil Ahmad said they have between 600 and 700 employees in the surplus pool and the same number of staff was working under the old local government set-up.

“We will need to hire more people and therefore decided to shortlist a few candidates.”

Ahmad said delays in results will postpone the creation of a new local government system.

About budget allocations to rent office spaces for the department, the local government secretary said they would need to rent offices for village and neighbourhood councils.

“Funds are available for office spaces for district councils and a majority of tehsil and town councils,” he said. “We want the nazims to select offices. Making arrangements for offices will not be a major issue.”

Ahmad added, “The new system should be put into place from July.” He said the new system will run smoothly. Yet, Ahmad added, “There is likely to be some uncertainty in its first month.”

Making rules

The local government secretary said the rules of business to run the new set-up have been checked by the chief minister. “Discussions were held with Chief Minister Pervez Khattak on a few amendments,” he said. “After the amendments have been incorporated and the final approval is sought, the rules will be published.”

Honoraria

An official of the local government department said they had suggested a monthly honorarium for councillors at the village and neighbourhood level.

“However, the amount which will be paid to them is still under consideration,” he said, requesting anonymity. “Furthermore, it remains to be seen whether the finance department can afford to pay this amount to so many elected councillors.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 13^th, 2015.