Staff Reporter
Punjab Senior and Food Minister Abdul Aleem Khan on Wednesday said that introduction of an efficient and best Local Government System in the largest province of the country is the top priority of the present government. “Under the new system Village and Neighborhood Councils along with Municipal Corporations and the Metropolitan Institutions will be formed while direct elections will be conducted at all tiers”. Punjab Senior and Food Minister Abdul Aleem Khan was presiding over a high-level meeting held to consider various aspects of the Punjab Local Government Act 2019.
The meeting was also by Punjab Law Minister Raja Muhammad Basharat along with Provincial Ministers including Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed, Mian Aslam Iqbal, Hashim Jawan Bakht, Sibteen Khan, Chaudhry Zaheer Uddin, Mian Khalid Mahmood and Chaudhry Akhlaq Hussain besides senior officers of different departments. The participants reviewed in detail various proposals regarding the new Local Government System in Punjab.
Addressing the participants, the Punjab senior minister said that Prime Minister Imran Khan intends to establish a strong and meaningful local bodies system in Punjab and steps would be ensured as per his directions. He said that in the new system of local bodies over lapping in different sectors would be reviewed while clear division of power will be ensured. He said that important decisions would be taken for the formation of new local bodies keeping in view the past experiences and discussions would be held with all stakeholders in this regard.
Abdul Aleem Khan further said that the model of developed countries would also be put forward and the formation of local bodies in different cities of the province would be made keeping in view the population there. Senior Minister Abdul Aleem Khan said that it was a priority to make the local bodies of the province as empowered and efficient as possible so that the problems of the people could be solved immediately and at the local level.
On the occasion, the Provincial Ministers also presented various proposals regarding Punjab Local Government Act 2019 while the Local Bodies Department apprised of the progress made so far in this regard. It is mentionable that this high-powered committee was constituted by the Punjab chief minister on Local Government Reforms which is led by Senior Minister Abdul Aleem Khan. This meeting was held to purpose suggestions regarding the New Local Government System to be introduced in Punjab Province.
