LAHORE: To the advantage of the local government cadre employees, provincial authorities have abolished the previous posts replacing them with upgraded ones creating room for promotion of hundreds of civil servants.

A notification issued by the finance department says the step has been taken on repeal of the Local Government Ordinance, 2001 and promulgation of the Punjab Local Government Act, 2013 and in pursuance of approval by the chief minister.

Through the step at least 1,287 posts of various categories of the LG department have been abolished making way for creation of 2,523 new slots.

Some of the offices have been upgraded to rekindle hope among the officials for their promotions due for decades. Many of the employees who joined the department in BPS-17 retired in the same grade after serving it for over three decades. Three new posts of directors in BPS-19 have been created in the provincial directorate and one in the engineering cadre, while the nine posts of BPS-18 at division level have been upgraded to BPS-19.

Thirty-six new posts of deputy directors in BPS-18 have been created at district level. Earlier, assistant directors in BPS-17 were serving against the same offices.

A new tier at tehsil level has also been introduced where assistant directors in BPS-17 will be serving. At least 226 seats of Markaz level project managers have been abolished to make way for 143 tehsil level ADLGs.

Through these measures a sort of service structure has been provided to the local government cadre, a majority of whom have been employed in three batches – 1989-90, 1990-91 and 1991-92. They have since been waiting for their promotion to next grade(s) while some of them already stand retired after attaining the age of superannuation.

Published in Dawn, April 6th, 2017