Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah Monday said that Sindh was the only province where local government was working while Punjab, KP and Balochistan have abolished this system.
Sindh local government system has administrative, financial and operational powers but even then a perception was being created that the local government in Sindh was powerless.
Murad stated this while replying to questions of 103-member delegation of the Naval War College led by Rear Admiral Mohammad Zubair who called on him at the CM House.
Murad said that the local government system of 2002 was envisaged and implemented by the federal government unilaterally because the input of the people of Sindh was not taken as the provincial assembly was not in place. "The local governments were made 'state within state' and had been given powers of promotions of officers even in the higher grades and control over revenue authority.
Shah said that they [LG people] promoted officials from BPS-7 to BPS-21 by creating posts on their own and soon started stretching hands for financial support from the provincial government because they had no money to pay salaries. Similarly, encroachments along nala, on open plots and other government properties emerged during the local government system of 2002, he said and added that "the provincial government enacted a new local government law and implemented it. "Look at our system that it works to this day and would complete the tenure though other provinces have abolished their local bodies," he said.
He said that Vision 2025 worked out by his government specifies comprehensive development agenda and lays down synchronized and integrated development strategy for inclusive and participative economic growth which provides equal opportunities to all. "The vision provides a comprehensive road map to harness the resources by creating synergy between to the federal and Sindh government and it will put the province on trajectory of growth, socio-economic development and prosperity."
Talking about the mission of government, Shah said, the robust investment in development schemes for public service delivery in education, health, food security, safe drinking water supply, sanitation and resilient infrastructure for energy production, road network and water resources management for socio-economic development and poverty reduction.
Murad Ali Shah said that Sindh was producing 71 percent of 1,558 billion Cubic Feet of gas. Sindh has 28 percent installed capacity of power generation of 22,797 MW in Pakistan. Sindh produces 44 percent of 24.573 million barrels of total oil production of the country and Sindh has 186 billion tons of coal reserves, out of which 175 billion tons are in Thar.
Talking about development portfolio, the chief minister said that Rs284.04 billion which includes the provincial ADP was 208 billion, District ADP Rs20 Billion, foreign Assisted Projects of Rs51.15 billion and federal PSDP of Rs4.89 billion. He added that 161.742 billion have been allocated for 1853 on-going schemes and Rs46.258 billion for 852 new schemes. In Rs208 billion, Irrigation has 22 percent share, road network 21 percent, water and sanitation 20 percent, health seven percent and education 12 percent and others 18 percent.
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