Punjab govt claims to approve new LG Act from PA in next three days,
The Punjab Government has failed to utilize international funding worth Rs9.69 billion allocated for public projects during the financial year 2021-22.
According to data issued by the State Bank of Pakistan for the Punjab Planning and Development Board (P&D Board), it is revealed that Asian Development Bank had given loans to the Punjab government under Human Capital Program and Poverty Elimination Program.
The funds were to be utilized for public projects in 13 different sectors. These include irrigation, the development of cities, and water supply schemes.
Loan given by the World Bank for the rehabilitation of flood-affected areas including climate change also lapsed.
The sources said that the P&D Board will again seek approval from the cabinet for the utilization of funds for these projects.
They said delays in the decision-making process, inefficient rulers, political instability, and strict rules and regulations are to blame for the poor utilization of funds assigned to the province for development. At the end of the fiscal year 2021-2022 on 30 June, these funds lapsed.
Meanwhile, Provincial Local Government Minister Mian Mehmood-ul-Rasheed on Monday claimed to get approval of the new Local Government (LG) Act from the Punjab Assembly in the next two to three days.
According to the Mahmood-ul-Rashid said that a strong local government system will be introduced in the province for the first time.
Telling about the main features of the act, the Punjab minister said that the new local government system will eliminate political divisions and the Mayor of Lahore will be directly elected.
In the new act, he said villages will have village councils while cities will have union councils, which will also be separate local governments.
