KARACHI, April 9: The ongoing provincial-city district governments tussle in Sindh, Balochistan and the NWFP will be resolved at different forums, including Prime Minister’s Committee on Devolution, CMs’ Committees on Devolution and the National Reconstruction Bureau’s Steering Committee, the NRB Chairman, Daniyal Aziz, told Dawn on the sidelines of a conference at Bhurban.
Besides, he said, all the remaining organizations/development authorities which still could not be devolved into the city district government under the Sindh Local Government Ordinance- 2001 would shortly brought under the umbrella of CDGs.
The high-level forums have been set up to help resolve disputes between the two sides in the three provinces. Punjab has, so far, been facing no such problem as the provincial and CDG setups in its major cities are headed by one party, i.e. PML- Q.
When asked wouldn’t the Sindh government’s move of transferring the CDG Karachi’s two executive district officers (EDOs) — of finance and revenue — on the eve of the presentation of budget disturb the city government’s planning, the NRB chief replied in affirmative. He suggested that the CDGK Nazim should approach court of law as the provincial government’s move amounted to ‘uncalled for interference’. In this regard, he cited a provision of the SLGO allowing an officer’s transfer only after three years.
Mr Daniyal, an MNA, revealed that Nazims of various city governments of the NWFP and Balochistan had already approached courts against such transfers and postings.
A decision to devolve Sindh Kutchi Abadi Authority (SKAA) into the CDGK will shortly be taken either by the CM Committee on Devolution or the NRB’s National Steering Committee, he said adding that these high-level committees had been formed to thwart the moves being made by vested interest to fail the new local government system.
He observed this when his attention was drawn to the fact that in spite of a lapse of 19 months after the promulgation of the SLGO, the SKAA could not be devolved though it was supposed to be merged with the CDGK much earlier. Karachi Building Control Authority (KBCA) and Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) have also been devolved partially, he acknowledged.
Though the SLGO envisaged for the devolution of the KWSB, KBCA and SKAA into the city government, the SKAA is still functioning under the provincial government’s control; the powers of chief executive of the KBCA have not yet been transferred to the City Nazim; and the KWSB, even after renamed as the CDGK’s Water and Sanitation Department, is still functioning as KWSB and its officials designations have not yet changed.
Commenting on these facts, the NRB chief said that all these issues would be amicably resolved soon at any of the three above- mentioned forums after making necessary amendments to the Acts governing these organizations.
Admitting that bureaucrats and vested interests, who are not happy with the new local government system are creating hurdles in the smooth functioning of the devolution plan, he said that it was amazing to note that a senior official, who himself was involved in the exercises undertaken for the purpose of implementing the SLGO, was reluctant in getting the organization devolved into the city government.
When apprised of the apprehensions that the future of the new LG system is in jeopardy following induction of provincial governments, he termed such fears ‘wishful thinking’ of those who were part of the old centralized bureaucratic system but were now functioning under the elected representatives as DCOs and TMOs.
Defending the new LG system, he said that the devolution plan which had replaced the old colonial system, was aimed at empowering the people through participation and whereby hangover of political and bureaucratic approach would wither away with the passage of time.
“In fact, the colonial system of governance was designed to collect revenue and maintain public order in a predominantly agricultural economy and the offices of deputy commissioner, superintendent of police and station house officer had vast powers. Apart from being the district magistrate, combining executive and judicial powers and control over the police, deputy commissioner had the powers to hold a court, award punishment whereas divisional commissioners were controlling authority in case of municipal and metropolitan corporations,” he explained.
Besides, development under the colonial system was not demand driven, people’s participation in prioritization of development plans was non-existent merely because activities of nation- building departments were coordinated through ACs, DCs and commissioners, he remarked.
Highlighting the salient features of the devolution plan, he said that it consisted of ‘five Ds’ which include devolution of political power, decentralization of administrative authority, distribution of resources to districts, de-concentration of management functions and diffusion of power-authority nexus.
FINANCE COMMISSION: Mr Daniyal said that with a view to bringing an end to the discretionary resource allocations, each province would now have a 10-member finance commission and it would consist of provincial finance minister, secretary finance, secretary local government and rural development, secretary planning from government side, Nazims of zila, tehsil and union and three members from private sector.
Explaining the functions of provincial finance commissions, he said that it would determine certification requirements; undertake studies and collect data for analysis of local finances; present an annual report to the government and local governments on fiscal transfers; monitor fiscal transfers against the award on regular basis; and any other matter relating to the government finance.
However, every PFC would have its own formula for granting funds to districts keeping in view their requirement, he added.
