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KARACHI, Feb 12: Sindh has received from the federal government Rs15 billion on account of Octroi/Zila tax grant against its due share of Rs24 billion during the last three years, indicating a shortfall of Rs9 billion.
This was stated by Sindh local government minister Dewan Muhammad Yousuf Farooqui in response to a question during a press conference here on Tuesday.
Giving details of fiscal decentralisation, he said the finance department had released Rs19 million to each district government and Rs85 million to the Karachi district city government as a one-time transition and rehabilitation cost.
Likewise, he said, sugar cane cess releases pertaining to past arrears had been released in accordance with specific district share.
Dewan Farooqui said that the lapsed amount of Rs1.695 billion of the Khushal Pakistan Programme phase II had been restored in July 2001, while Rs2.8 billion had been allocated for its third phase and funds were being released so that local governments could implement development schemes as per their requirement in their respective areas.
He said that in the earlier two phases of the KPP ongoing projects had been completed, while in the new phase Nazims, with their advisory bodies, could select and implement uplift schemes.
POWERS CLIPPED: Dewan Muhammad Yousuf Farooqui disclosed that powers of councillors to move a no-confidence motion against any Nazim /Naib Nazim had been clipped till Dec 31, 2002 to ensure stability to the new system of local government.
In the Sindh Local Government Ordinance 2001 the period was first six months of assumption of office. The Minister said that a summary had been moved to the governor for the extension of the time period of internal recall till Dec 31, 2002.
He said that out of the 23 departments of the Sindh government, 11 departments stood restructured and all necessary staff including DCOs, EDOs and DOs had been posted, barring a few positions in the information technology and literacy groups for want of professional manpower.
The minister pointed out that Sindh was the first province in the country to devolve the KDA, LDA and MDA like development authorities by Dec 12, 2001 and the NRB had directed the authorities in other provinces to work on the guidelines of the KDA. He said the Hyderabad, Sehwan and Larkana authorities were also likely to be completely devolved by March 15.
“As far as the devolving of the KWSB and the KBCA is concerned, a committee has been working under the additional chief secretary to suggest its phased devolution,” the minister said adding that The KBCA powers would be distributed between towns and the city government and that process would be completed by June 2002.
He said that amendments had been introduced to the relevant acts, ordinances, laws and orders, to bring them in line with the provisions of the SLGO, 2001, to be made applicable to the post-devolution set up.
Likewise, he said, the Sindh District Government Conduct and Business Rules had been notified in respect of Taluka/ town and municipal administrations, while for union administrations they were being finalised.
The minister pointed out that all the functions performed and appointments held by ex-divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners had been reassigned to the Zila Nazims in their respective districts.
He said the provincial local government commission had been notified, monitoring committees constituted and the names of elected and non-elected members had been received from all the 16 districts for the constitution of the district public safety commissions which had been scrutinised. 69 per cent work for the formation of Musalihat Anjumans in the union councils had been completed.
He said that the Board of Revenue had been asked to compile details of excess lands attached with the houses occupied by commissioners, DIGs, DCs and SSPs, and take steps to dispose off such property after the approval of provincial government.
About the appointment of Mohatasib at the district level, the minister said the National Reconstruction Bureau had been restudying the viability of appointing ombudsmen in each district.
At the last meeting with the Chief Executive on Jan 22, it was opined that the appointment of ombudsmen in every district would cause undue non-development expenditures.
