Local governments: Punjab lagging behind in devolution of municipal services

UNDP study shows the provincial govt will be in charge of these services

LAHORE: The local governments in the Punjab will be elected for a term of five years but local governments in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa have been elected for three years. In Sindh and Balochistan local governments are elected for four-year terms. 

In all four provinces, the chief ministers have the power to suspend or remove a local government. In Sindh, the chief minister can suspend a local government for up to six months. The chief minister can suspend a local government for up to 90 days in the Punjab. In KP and Balochistan, local governments can be suspended for up to a month.

The provincial governments can also initiate inquiries against local governments on charges of misconduct.

In the Punjab, health, education, water and sanitation, town planning and solid waste management will be administered through provincial-level authorities and companies. All municipal services except sewerage management and building control in Karachi have been devolved to local governments.

Local governments in the KP will be responsible for administration of health, education, social welfare, and rural development. Balochistan has devolved municipal services to the local governments but requires them to initiate development schemes with the approval of the provincial government.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 19^th, 2015.