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PROVINCIAL TRANSITION TEAM GIVES FINAL SHAPE TO ADMINISTRATIVE SETUP OF NEW DISTRICT GOVERNMENTS

LAHORE(By our Bureau Chief)Provincial Transition Team, constituted by Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in the convener-ship of Additional Chief Secretary Punjab Shamail Ahmad Khawaja, has completed all the arrangements and necessary parameters for devolution of powers from Provincial government to newly elected local governments and appointment of officials of local governments in District Health Authorities and District Education Authorities, distribution of assets and liabilities as well as issuance of funds.

                        According to draft bill of new proposed District Administration Set Up, with assuming charge of their offices by newly elected Lord Mayer of Lahore Metropolitan Corporation, mayors and deputy mayors of Municipal Corporations in nine divisional headquarters, chairmen, vice chairmen of 25 municipal committees and chairmen and vice-chairmen district councils, Punjab Local Government Ordinance 2001 will be replaced with new administration system. Under the new system, offices of Commissioners will continue to work in every division while Deputy Commissioners will be appointed in place of District Coordination Officers in the districts. According to new administration, 29 posts of EDO Finance and Planning and 18 posts of EDO Community Development will be finished. Chief Officer of grade 20 will be appointed in Metropolitan Corporation Lahore while grade 19 Chief Officers will be appointed in 11 Municipal Corporations of the remaining districts. Chief Officers of grade 19 will be appointed in District Councils of the districts of divisional headquarters while Chief Executive Officers of grade 18 will be appointed in District Health Authority and District Education Authority in 18 districts. Similarly, Chief Officers of grade 19 will be appointed in Sialkot and Gujrat districts and tehsil Murree while Chief Officers of grade 18 will be appointed in eight big District Councils out of 27 District Councils. Rights of promotion to employees of municipal cadre at every district and tehsil level will be protected in schools and dispensaries like before. However, the services of teachers and paramedics will now be transferred to District Education Authorities and District Health Authorities. Besides Chief Executive Officer, District Health Authority will comprise elected public representatives and technocrats, district health officer, concerned medical superintendents DHQ hospital, Additional DHO, District Nursing Officers, District Medico Legal Officer, District Drug Controller, DHO Preventive Services, Additional DHO, District Finance and Planning Officer besides District Internal Audit Officer. Final shape has also been given to amendments in Service Rules and Conduct of Punjab government Rules of Business of the officers of government employees of Local Government and Deputy Commissioners and Commissioners Office while Finance Department Punjab has decided to release immediate result of Rs. 650 million as transition grant to newly elected union councils. Similarly, Rs. 313 million have been allocated for the provision of necessary furniture, equipments and vehicles in the offices of other officers of district governments.

                        Additional Chief Secretary Shamail Ahmed Khawaja directed Secretary Local Government and Community Development to give final shape to new Interim Finance Commission Award by 15 August so that its draft design could be sent to Chief Minister Punjab for approval.