The Punjab government has expedited the work on the Provincial Finance Commission (PFC) Award and it is seeking to amend the Award in line with the Local Government Act 2019. In this connection, Punjab Finance Minister Hashim Jawan Bakhat chaired the maiden meeting of PFC Award here on Tuesday. It was attended by MPA Sardar Muhammad Awais Dreshak, Abdul Rehman Rana, Punjab Finance Secretary Abdullah Sumbhal, Secretary Local Government Punjab Ahmed Javeed Qazi, Senior Consultant for Public Finance Management Faisal Rasheed and other members of the Commission.
While addressing the meeting, the Finance Minister asked the Punjab Finance Department to seek explanations on Section 189 and 190 of the new local government act from the concern department and added that all lacunas should be addressed announcing the Award.
He also instructed the Punjab Local Government Department to provide updated record of local government assets; information technology should be used in the preparation of the record so that the government has a complete picture of available assets and resources of local government prior to awarding of the PFC award.
The meeting reviewed distribution of resources under the new local government act and required amendments in existing PFC Award. The local government representatives briefed the meeting that under 2017 interim PFC Award local government share was 37.5 percent from provincial resources while special development grants was 6.5 percent.
"The 2017 interim PFC Award was made on a formula based on population, poverty, children out of schools, 15 to 49 years women population and access to safe drinking water. However, with the amendments in the local government act, provisional PFC Award need to be amended as well," they added.
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