Indian team keen to study local bodies system

Dr Santosh Singh, co-ordinator Institute of Social Sciences (ISS) New Delhi member of local bodies representatives delegation of India has said that the objective of their visit to study local bodies (devolution Plan) of Pakistan and strengthen brotherly relation between the people of two countries. She was expressing her views at "meet the press programme" at press club Hyderabad on Friday. They were part of 33-member delegation of India that had arrived in Pakistan on March 14 to study local bodies in Pakistan and take forward peace process between two countries.
She said that members of delegation wanted to closely study the local bodies so that some good aspects of it could be adopted in India. She said that the system is being observed from every point of view and the delegation would prepare a comprehensive report in an articulate way. She avoided making a direct comment on LB system.
In response to a question she said it is difficult to give a comparative system of Pakistan and India. She, however, said 29 departments including health, education, water supply had been completely devolved on three tiers basis in India to cater to local needs of the people.
She said that local bodies have been covered under different constitutional provisions which ensure women empowerment too. She said that there are 100 districts in India and in every district 33 percent seats including that of Zila Nazim are reserved for women besides scheduled caste. She said it was noted with interest that that revenue and police have been given under control of local government" in Pakistan.
She said "after 57 years time have come for two brothers to embrace each other and it is an important event", she said "we can live peacefully as Pakistan and China or India and Sri Lanka are living without any controversy or confrontation", she explained and said no body should doubt the integrity of people of either country.
She said in Pakistan democracy is under strengthening process and a new local bodies system under devolution plan has been introduced", while democracy in India has become much stronger in last five decades no one including army leadership had thought of reversing democratic process and expressed the hope that even in future no one could even think of derailing it.
The 33-member delegation of local bodies representatives of India that has arrived in Pakistan on March 14 visited different part of Pakistan including Lahore, Islamabad, Karachi and Hyderabad.