HYDERABAD, Sept 2: Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim has said that providing basic facilities to people of deprived areas is the main challenge for newly-elected representatives of the local bodies.

He called upon them to achieve development targets during the next four years of tenure.

He was addressing nazims and councillors in Bhitshah Rest House on Friday.

The Sindh chief minister said the devaluation system of the government introduced by President Gen Pervez Musharraf was aimed at sharing power with the people at the grass roots level.

He said in order to achieve these objectives all administrative and financial powers had been delegated to newly-elected nazims at different levels.

He said it was responsibility of nazims to use their powers in the interest of the people in a transparent manner and ensure all development funds at their disposals be utilized purely for this purposes.

He said the government had also introduced check and balance to arrest misappropriation and eliminate commission culture from the society.

He said the purpose of creating new districts was also to accelerate development activities and bring deprived areas at par with developed areas as such an amount of Rs967 million from the President’s package had been allocated for development of the Matiari district.

He said other funds would also be provided if and when required.

The Sindh chief minister said allegations of rigging were an insult to people’s verdict and the system.

He said the government was determined to honour verdict of the people in letter and spirit according to the SLGO as such elected representatives would be accommodated in the next government of the local government system.

He stressed upon nazims and councillors to elect honest and dedicating candidates for post of taluka as well as district nazims during the third phase of local body elections.

He stressed upon nazims to pay full attention towards development of their areas and added that development in any corner contributed to overall development of the country.

Soon after arrival, the Sindh chief minister went to Dargah of Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai and Hazrat Shah Habib, where he laid flower wreaths and offered fateha.