ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Imran Khan says powers will be devolved tograss-roots level in the real sense in the new revolutionary localgovernment system being introduced in Punjab.
Talking to newsmen in Islamabad this afternoon, he said elections to localgovernments will be held directly in two tiers at village council orPanchaiat level and at tehsil level.
The Prime Minister said funds will be directly transferred to villagecouncils and Tehsil Nazims, which will financially empower the local peopleto decide about their development projects. He said Tehsil Nazims cancoordinate and choose a representative at district level.
He said twenty-two thousand Punchayats or village councils will be set upunder the new local government system, and they will be provided onehundred and forty billion rupees. He said this direct election will bringforth new leadership.
He said in urban centers, mayors will be directly elected, and they willcollect revenue to improve condition of cities in a better way.
The Prime Minister said the new local bodies’s system will empower citymayors to collect revenue and spend it on the welfare of urban dwellers andas well as improvement in cities’ infrastructure, development, and othermatters.
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He said mayors can bring his own team of professionals to improve civicfacilities.
Answering a question, he said we are not bringing any presidential systemin the country.
To an other question, Imran Khan said the government is going to appointtaxation expert Shabbar Zaidi as new head of the Federal Board of Revenue.
