PESHAWAR, Oct 7: The NWFP on Tuesday became the first province to revive the offices of commissioners and revenue divisions dismantled in 2001 with the enforcement of devolution of power plan by former president Pervez Musharraf.

Governor Owais Ahmad Ghani has promulgated the Land Laws Amendment Ordinance 2008, which makes drastic changes in provisions relating to land and revenue, although official circles consider it only as revival of the system of divisional commissioners.

The new ordinance divides the NWFP into five revenue divisions – Peshawar, Kohat, Bannu, Malakand and Hazara. Matters relating to land and revenue in the divisions will be supervised by ‘commissioners’, as was the case before the introduction of the devolution plan. Before 2001, the province had seven divisions.

Under the 2001 ordinance, revenue was a devolved subject and the District Officer Revenue was the main authority for matters concerning land and revenue in a district.

Powers of revenue commissioners would be delegated to newly appointed Regional Coordination Officers (RCOs), a government official said, adding that the RCOs would now be called commissioners. A notification about delegating the powers to RCOs and re-designating them as ‘commissioners’ is expected in a couple of days.

The NWFP cabinet in its July 28 meeting had decided to strengthen the newly created institution of RCOs to ensure expeditious disposal of government work.

The new ordinance amends the Land Acquisition Act, Tenancy Act, West Pakistan Restitution and Retention of Mortgage Land Act and Land Revenue Act for reviving the revenue divisions and commissionerates in the province.