ISLAMABAD, June 16: Differences have developed between Sindh government and local governments of the province over various issues including distribution of funds and posting/transfers, chairman of National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB), Daniyal Aziz told reporters on Monday.
Following an on-going tussle between the provincial government and district governments in North West Frontier Province (NWFP), Sindh is the second province where such differences have developed.
Speaking at a get-together here at a local hotel, the NRB chief briefed the newsmen about its recent visit at Sindh.
He said Sindh government was violating the local government laws and representatives of the provincial government had been asked to avoid such acts which were contrary to these laws.
Mr Aziz said some vested interests and high level bureaucracy was trying to wrap up the newly-established local government system.
The NRB chief said he had held a meeting at Sindh governor house to resolve the issues. The meeting was attended by chief secretary, inspector general of police, secretary of local government, a group of district coordination officers and District, Tehsil and Union Nazims and all councillors.
The official said there were 23 different issues on which the confrontation between the provincial government and district governments had started. These 23 issues were discussed in the meeting.
Some of these issues are: Distribution of money from provincial to district government level, posting/transfers in the district governments, utilization of development funds, relations between DCOs and District Nazims, establishment and functioning of District Public Service Commission, powers of District Naib Nazim, capacity building of employees, Rules of Business (RoB) for District Governments, efficiency and discipline rules and working of Karachi Development Authority (KDA), Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC), Karachi Water Supply Board (KWSB) and some other government departments.
Answering a question, Mr Aziz said a committee headed by chief secretary had been formed to resolve the issues. The committee will present its report to the chief minister.
He said it was proposed in the meeting that the district government should be given funds according to a report of Provincial Finance Commission.
It was also suggested that property tax would be collected by excise and taxation department and it would be directly transferred to the union councils’ funds.
In order to resolve the issue of postings/transfers, the meeting decided to chalk out a new procedure for postings and transfers of employees working under the district governments.
Replying to a query regarding provinces’ reservations about devolution plan, he said, the devolution plan was introduced in the country to shift power to grassroots level.
He said there were many flaws in 150-year old police, magistracy and district administration system and majority of the politicians had welcomed the devolution plan.
The NRB chief said due to faulty previous system some 8,000 development schemes remained incomplete only in Punjab causing loss of billions of rupees.
“Earlier, deputy commissioners and assistant commissioners were empowered to take decision about different matters of the district. However, now in the new system a common man could contribute his role in decision making,” he said.