KARACHI, March 21: The provincial government has been accused of interfering in the affairs of the district governments by exercising their financial powers and making appointments of lower grade staff , in violation of the Sindh Local Government Ordinance 2000.

The complaints were reportedly made by Nazims when the chief minister's inspection, enquiries and implementation team visited different districts in the province. One of the complaints pertained to arbitrary purchases by the provincial government for departments which fall under the purview of the district governments.

The Nazims said the lower grade staff who should have been appointed by the district governments under the ordinance were hired by the provincial government and the district governments were only asked to issue the notifications.

Another complaint was about transfer of funds to the district governments in the accounts which if not utilized within the specified period could be reverted to the province, it is learnt.

The Nazims were of the view that under the SLGO, the funds should have been transferred under the heads of 'Account-IV' but they were diverted to 'Account-I'. As a result, provincial government's financial releases to the district governments reverted to it, they said.

They pointed out that the Punjab government transferred funds to the district governments under the head of 'Account-IV'. The heads of the district, town and tehsil governments are finding it difficult to maintain financial autonomy and sustainability of the local governments in the cash starved system, where powers have not yet been fully transferred to them in accordance with the Local Government Ordinance.

The public safety commissions, district ombudsman's offices and observers' committees to deal with corruption have not been notified while the advisory committees and local government commissions formed recently are yet to start functioning. The Nazims complain that the financial powers of the elected representatives, instead of being enhanced, have been withdrawn since July 1, 2002.

Sources said apprehension of misuse of financial powers by the elected representatives was being used as an argument for curtailing their powers. Political, administrative and fiscal powers had not been transferred fully to the local governments by the province in accordance with the SLGO 2000, they complained.

The situation was contrary to President Gen Pervez Musharraf's statement that financial devolution was the key to running the system effectively, they said. The National Reconstruction Bureau should sort out the issues and remove the obstacles in the way of the implementation of the local government system, they said.