LB Institutions To Be Financially Autonomous In New System: Usman Buzdar

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Nov, 2019 ) :Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar on Thursday, presiding over a meeting to review preparations regarding Village Panchayat & Neighbourhood Councils and Local Governments elections, said that LB institutions would be financially autonomous under new system of local bodies.

Steps regarding implementation on Punjab Municipal Services Programme were also reviewed in the meeting held at Cheif Minister house, here.

The chief minister said that delimitations of local areas had been completed by the Punjab government and preparations of election rolls under Punjab Local Government Act, 2019 was in progress, as well.

He directed to complete election rolls by first week of December and added that Village Panchayat & Neighbourhood Councils elections would be held in the first phase and local governments elections would be held in the second phase.

A total of 455 local governments would be established in the province, he added.

He said the Punjab government had given approval to amendments in Punjab Local Government Act, 2019 regarding grant of voting right to minorities on general seats along with reserve seats.

New local bodies system was in accordance with people's aspirations while past local bodies institutions failed in solving peoples problems, he added.

Local bodies representatives would be empowered and the new system would end existing status-quo to empower the people, he said.

He maintained that new local bodies system would play an important role in solving problems at the doorsteps of the people.

The chief minister mentioned that local bodies institutions would be made financially autonomous and the people living in rural areas would also be empowered.

Punjab Municipal Services Programme would be helpful in completing repair and maintenance of roads and other public-oriented projects at the grassroots, he added.

Secretary Local Government briefed about preparations regarding Village Panchayat & Neighbourhood Councils elections and local governments elections.

Provincial ministers Raja Basharat, Hashim Jawan Bakht, Chief Secretary, Chairman P&D, SMBR and others attended the meeting.