KARACHI, Oct 29: The working of different departments is being hampered in the absence of rules of business of the Local Government Ordinance 2001. The situation is sending a wrong message to people about its effectiveness, which was enforced on Aug 14, this year, to transfer powers to the grass roots level.

This impression emerges from the discussion at the joint meeting of District Nazmeen, District Coordination Officers and Development Planning Officers held at the Governor’s House on Monday.

The meeting was informed that the provincial local government commission and District Public Safety Commissions would be formed by the first week of next month. On the occasion, the local governments were asked to prepare their budget and elections of the house committees by Nov 15.

At the meeting, presided at by Sindh Governor, Mohammedmian Soomro — to review performance of the new system — most of the Nazmeen complained that the system, contrary to expectations, was not delivering the due functioning of departments whose bye-laws were yet to be framed.

While discussing the budget for the new fiscal of the district governments, the Nazmeen pointed out difficulties in its preparation as the district government had not been provided manpower support from the finance, planning and development department for the purpose.

In this connection, Secretary Finance, Fazlur Rehman, informed the meeting that three different teams had been formed to guide local governments in preparation of the budget.

The meeting was also informed that DCOs have powers to appoint and transfer employees from grades 1-15 under E and D rules, while officials of grades 16-18 could be posted only after consultation with the concerned provincial secretary and Nazmeen could exercise powers regarding officials of grades 19 and 20.

Stressing the need of coordinated efforts of Nazmeen, DCOs and DPOs for completion of development schemes and resolving problems of the people, the governor directed them to pay special attention to eliminate corruption and check wastage of resources.

“If we want to put the country on the road to progress and development and implement welfare projects, we have to eliminate commission in contracts, purchasing educational degrees and embezzlement from Zakat funds,” he said.

He asked local governments to generate resources and use available resources in a better way to ensure provisions of health, education, water supply, building of roads and other civic facilities to people with their consultation.

The provincial local government minister, Dewan Muhammad Yousuf Farooqui and Chief Secretary, Muhammad Javed Ashraf Hussain, also spoke on the occasion. Different provincial secretaries replied to questions concerning their departments.

After the meeting, Mr Soomro also met each Nazim and DCO individually, to apprise himself of issues in their districts and issued instructions to the concerned departments for their resolution.