KARACHI, July 7: Chief Secretary Kaly Bux Rind has asked the local government department to complete the Khushal Pakistan Programme (KPP) Phase-III by September 2002.

He was presiding over a presentation meeting by the secretary (services) and the secretary local government departments here on Sunday. He appreciated the hard work of the secretary local government and his team for the successful implementation of the devolution plan.

The chief secretary was apprised of services matters, progress achieved in the implementation of the devolution plan and the restructuring of the local government department. The secretary local government said all 16 district governments, 18 town municipal administrations, 84 taluka municipal administrations and 1094 union administrations had been established and granted corporate status with full financial powers.

He further said that the provincial finance commission was being established under the new chapter of financial decentralization. Keeping in view with the requirement of the Sindh Local Govt Ordinance (SLGO), the requisite restructuring in the local government department had been completed and notified.

He said that the KPP had provided job opportunities to more than 100,000 people in Sindh. 380 schemes worth Rs604.591 million were completed in KPP Phase-I and 691 schemes worth Rs1.637 billion were completed in KPP Phase-II.—APP