PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Tuesday passed a bill to set up 11 new autonomous urban areas development authorities in the province to achieve and maintain high performance standards in the preparation and execution of schemes.

The passage of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Urban Areas Development Authorities Act, 2020, came after the incorporation of several amendments proposed by both the treasury and opposition members.

Deputy Speaker Mahmood Jan chaired the sitting.

Under the new law, urban development authorities will be established in Abbottabad, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Mansehra, Mardan, Swabi, Swat, Karak, Kohat, Dir (lower and upper) and Chitral (lower and upper).

Though development authorities in several districts like Peshawar, Kalam, Kaghan and Galiyat have been functioning for the last several years, no visible improvement has been witnessed in terms of planning and development of these urban centers.

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Under Section 4 (1) of the law, the department shall, by notification, constitute a board to be called the Urban Development Authorities’ Board, to perform such functions as may be assigned to it under this act. Minister for local government will act as chairperson of the board.

The board will approve regulations, policies and guidelines pertaining to functioning of the authorities in the areas of investment, finance, budget and human resource management. The board will also approve master plan and amendments thereto of respective authorities.

Managing Director shall be posted or appointed by the chief minister from public and private sectors, on such terms and condition as may be specified by the department concerned and shall hold office for a term of three years and shall remain in office for three months thereafter or until his successor enters upon office, whichever is earlier.

Major functions of the authorities to be strategy for all development works, undertaking maintenance of and regulation of schemes, collection of fines, fees, preparation and approval of schemes, modification of schemes, housing schemes, project and liabilities to acquisition.

The Local Council (Repeal) Bill, 2020, was also introduced in the assembly.

During question hour, special assistant to the chief minister on local government Kamran Bangash informed the house that the local body system didn’t exist in the merged tribal districts.

He said only two municipal committees were functioning in tribal districts and that they’re established before the merger of the former Fata with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Mr Bangash said the local government system was being introduced in tribal districts, while 25 municipal committees and 702 village and neighbourhood councils had been formed.

He said secretaries and clerical staff were being hired for village and neighbourhood councils.

A question regarding appointments to the Trans Peshawar Company, the operator of the Peshawar BRT, was referred to the standing committee.

Finance minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra said the government had acquired Rs60 billion loan from the Asian Development Bank and a French agency with a grace period of five year.

He said the government had to repay the debt in 20 years and its markup was less than two per cent.

Livestock minister Muhibullah Khan while responding to question said Rs5.2 billion had been invested in the livestock sector during the last five years.

He said dispensaries had been rehabilitated in various districts, while new facilities had been established.

Initiating debate on inflation, Muttahidda Majlis-i-Amal MPA Lutfur Rehman said inefficiency of the government was the main cause of skyrocketing prices of commodities.

He said the people had lost purchasing power and couldn’t afford to buy essential commodities like sugar, flour, pulses and cooking oil.

ANP member Sardar Hussain Babak said the people from KP had migrated to Punjab due to insecurity.

He said unemployment had increased in the province, while hundreds of industrial units had closed down due to the law and order situation.

The lawmaker said unemployment had caused lawlessness.

He said Pakistan’s trade with arch rival India was continuing, while trade routes with Afghanistan had been closed.

Mr Babak said the reopening of trade routes with Afghanistan would promote bilateral trade and create employment opportunities in KP and Balochistan.

He asked the government to take up the issues regarding the province’s constitutional rights, including payment of net hydel profit and increase in trade, with the centre.

The ANP member said the government should take measures to enhance trade with Afghanistan and Central Asian Republics.

Published in Dawn, September 2nd, 2020