HYDERABAD, July 21: The Sindh minister for local bodies and Katchi Abadies, Mohammad Hussain, has said that he has recommended to the National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB) to form city district government, comprising three Talukas of city, Latifabad and Qasimabad whereas the status of other Talukas would remain unchanged.
He was addressing the Taluka City Council on Monday following a visit to the city Taluka on the invitation of the Taluka city Nazim, Haji Moinuddin Sheikh.
He disclosed that the union councils were being given powers by the National Reconstruction Bureau directly for strengthening the devolution system.
Referring to the “unjust division” of Hyderabad city into three Talukas, Mr Hussain said that more union councils would be created in the districts during the next local bodies elections because owing to a condition in the Sindh Local Government Ordinance 2001, delimitation could only be considered ahead of the local bodies polls.
He said that ever since the abolition of octroi taxes, Sindh province was getting a share of Rs6.5 billion although it should have been increased by 15 per cent per annum, and added from the current fiscal year, Sindh would get Rs10 billion as its share of octroi taxes, ultimately enhancing shares of union councils and districts.
He said that after the complaints of union councils that they were powerless, he had told the National Reconstruction Bureau chairman, Danyal Aziz, that it was simply meaningless if union councils were not empowered under the devolution plan.
He said that his ministry was all out for delegating powers to union council councillors, Nazims and their deputies so that they could carry out electrification, sanitation, repair and maintenance work under an effective devolution system.
Mr Hussain said that he had sent a booklet to the National Reconstruction Bureau, containing proposals and suggestions received from different union council representatives, saying that the summary regarding payment of honorarium to representatives of union councils was lying with the chief minister for approval.
He said that he had asked the provincial Finance Commission and Finance Ministry to transfer funds in union councils’ accounts to avoid an inordinate delay in releasing funds.
He said that by and large the sewerage and drainage systems in the Taluka city was under control except for the areas of Pathan and Sarfaraz colonies, Hyder Chowk and Makki Shah Road where sewerage-related problems existed.
Announcing Rs1 million for the installation of an air conditioner and renovation of Jinnah Hall of the Taluka City Council, Mr Hussain said that he would try to get an amount of Rs5 million released from the provincial government for the Pathan Colony Road.
He said that the ban on departmental promotions by him followed reports of violation of relevant rules.
He said that funds for the Hyderabad Development Package of Rs500 million would be released “provided the previous ones are spent”.
He assured that his party would strive to get a special package of Rs1 billion either from the prime minister or the president for modernizing the sewerage system.
Mr Hussain said that reports about liabilities of local bodies institutions were being collected under directives of the Sindh cabinet and the same would be placed before it.
He said that the matter of getting the allotment order of a Bakra Mandi plot withdrawn was being considered by him. The plot had been given to a private party after funds for an educational scheme, approved in 1998 were not utilized.
He urged the Taluka Municipal Administrations to improve their infrastructure, particularly recreational spots such as the municipal zoo.