359 local bodies established under LG Act 2019, says Mahmoodur Rasheed

359 local bodies established under LG Act 2019, says Mahmoodur Rasheed

Staff Reporter
December 27, 2021

359 local bodies established under LG Act 2019, says Mahmoodur Rasheed

LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Local Government and Community Development Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed has said that under the Local Government Act 2019, 359 local bodies have been set up keeping in view the urban-rural divide across the province.

The minister on Monday said this while expressing his reaction to the press conference of PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal.

He maintained that local bodies, which used to be 229 under the Local Government Act 2013 during the PML-N era, were powerless and did not have any political, financial and administrative authorities. Whereas the PTI government had introduced a new historic local government system in Punjab, under which local government representatives and heads would be directly elected, he added.

The minister said that direct election of local government heads would eliminate horse-trading and blackmailing.

Rasheed said that the Punjab government had accepted the verdict of the Supreme Court regarding the restoration of local bodies.

With the advent of the Local Government Act of 2019, the Act of 2013 had been repealed as there were constitutional complications in the rehabilitation of local bodies under the Local Government Act, 2013, he explained.

The minister said that the Punjab government had filed a review petition before the Supreme Court in this regard which was still pending. In addition, the Punjab government formed transition teams to ensure the distribution of assets and liabilities to the restored institutions.

As soon as the transition plan was approved by the Cabinet, the local bodies were restored on 17.10.2021 by notification, he added.

Rasheed said that Punjab’s new Local Government System is a historic step towards the establishment of empowered local governments in line with the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan and under the supervision of Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, another promise has been fulfilled to the people by introducing an effective local government system in Punjab.

Unlike in the past, the new LG system ensures devolution of powers to lower levels in accordance with the spirit of Article 140-A of the Constitution. Development authorities, waste management companies, PHAs, WASAs, and parking companies would be subordinate to the metropolitan mayors, while at the district level, health, education, social welfare, population welfare, and sports authorities would be subordinate to the district mayors. Local bodies would be given full political, administrative, and financial powers, he further said.

The minister said that the new system includes 11 metropolitan corporations, 35 district councils and 2,385 neighbourhood councils in urban areas while 3,464 Village Councils would be established in rural areas.

For the first time in the history of the province, Village Panchayat Councils would be formed in each village which will be responsible for the local watchdog system, street lights, sanitation, and resolution of minor disputes.

He said that under the new system, a district assembly would be formed in each district, district representatives and village council representatives would use development funds according to local area priorities and directly oversee development work.