LAHORE: The Punjab government has imposed a ban on recruitment against any vacant post in the metropolitan corporation, municipal corporations, municipal committees and district councils till final approval of Schedules of Establishment (SoEs) by the competent authority.

The ban has been imposed on all kinds of recruitment, including contract, regular, work charge or even daily wages.

The local government and community development secretary has told all tehsil and town municipal officers as well as tehsil and town municipal administrators that any deviation from this policy or violation of the orders will be tantamount to misconduct.

The Punjab government has also told all divisional commissioners and district coordination officers that the posts of executive district officer (EDO) finance and planning, EDO (community development) and district officer (human resource management) will be abolished upon promulgation of the Punjab Local Government Act (PLGA) 2013, which will also repeal the Punjab Local Government Ordinance 2001.

District governments will become non-existent on promulgation of the PLGA; a new set-up will come into force under the Punjab Civil Administration Ordinance 2016. Therefore, certain posts need to be abolished and others created for successful and smooth transition of the local government system.

It is necessary that some offices be created that can inherit the legacy of the offices mentioned above for smooth transition. Therefore, the government is replacing the three posts with additional deputy commissioner (ADC) finance and planning, ADC (general) and ADC (headquarters).

The Punjab government has directed that the offices, resources, staff, inventory and complete record of the offices of EDO (finance and planning), EDO (community development) and district officer (human resource management) must be reserved and properly maintained by the three incoming ADCs so that they do not have to face any problem.

The posts of EDOs of health and education would also be abolished with the creation of health and education authorities. Other EDOs and district offices will also be disbanded and return to their parent departments when new local governments will begin functioning.

Published in Dawn, December 25th, 2016