The NWFP government has ordered concrete measures to strengthen the financially weak Town Municipal Administrations (TMAs). The sub-committee of the cabinet with the Provincial Minister for Local Government and Rural Development Sardar Muhammad Idrees met in Peshawar to discuss fund constraints in the 12-TMAs and discussed necessary measures in this regard.
The meeting decided to include Town one Peshawar in the weak category due to its fund shortage. Subsequently, a sub-committee responsible for final recommendation to the provincial cabinet for financial stability and self-sufficiency of TMAs was formed. This committee would submit report in the next meeting of the cabinet-sub-committee to be held on Thursday.
The Secretary, P&D, Khalid Waqar Chamkani, Secretary, Local council Board, Syed Manzoor Ali Shah Bacha, Additional Secretary Finance, Rehmat Ghazi, Deputy Secretary LG&RD, Sharafat Rabbani, District Nazim Peshawar, Mansoor Khan, Naib District Nazim, Haji Ghulam Ali, District Nazim, Razaullah, Director Upper, Sahibzada Tariqullah Khan, Tehsil Nazim Chitral, Sartaj Ahmad Khan, TMO Town one, Noor Daraz Khan Khattak and other officals and Local government representatives attended the meeting.
The Minister asked the members of newly appointed committee to formulate two propose recommendations for financial vitality of the weaker TMAs based on its immediate and long term needs on crash grounds suggesting the bulk of annual grants and resource enhancement as long term remedies. He suggested to include latest fire fighting equipment in the criteria of immediate needs.
The District Nazim, Peshawar, Haji Ghulam Ali demanded provision of supplementary funds both from the federal and provincial governments for all four towns to ensure speedy development of the provincial capital. Lamenting the scarcity of fund in towns he feared that if not enhanced with resources, these units would not be able to pay electricity bills and salaries of employees in the future.