Punjab Government Decided To Transfer Grants On The Basis Of Provincial Financial Commission Award

08/12/16

Provincial Minister for Finance, Dr. Ayesha Ghaus Pasha presided over a meeting of interim committee regarding approval of Interim Provincial Financial Commission for local governments today. Member Punjab Assembly Muhammad Ahmed Khan, Secretary Finance Sheikh Hamid Yaqoob, Special Secretary Finance Saif Ullah Dogar, Senior Advisor PFM Faisal Rasheed, Secretary Local Government Aslam Kamboh, Secretary Health Ali Daan, President Akhuwat Foundation Dr. Amjad Saqib, Secretary Law, Member Planning & Development, Member School Education besides all concerned officers attended the meeting. The Minister informed the meeting that Punjab government has decided to transfer grants on the basis of Provincial Financial Commission Award (PFC) under section (3) 153 (a) of Punjab Local Government Act 2013 for activating local governments and providing funds. For this purpose, on the instructions of Chief Minister, an interim committee was constituted in which representation was given to public representatives, government officers and technical members, she added. She said that a technical group was set up for the constitution of interim PFC Award in consultation with interim committee in which opinions of officers of Finance Department besides senior consultants of international level were included. She told the meeting that technical committee in consultation with concerned departments has prepared its recommendations for interim finance commission under which funds will be distributed to local governments on the basis of their financial needs. The formula of distribution of resources among the districts in education sector will be prepared on the basis of congestion of population, number of school going and out of school children and enrollment of girls for secondary education, she added. Ayesha Ghaus Pasha said that funds will be distributed to health authorities in health sector according to the formula of ratio of population of the persons of below nine years and more than 65 years age, 15 to 49 years old women and the rate of poverty as children, elderly persons and the women need more treatment. Recommendations were also presented in the interim award regarding substantial increase in development and non-development funds of union councils, municipal committees, municipal corporations and district councils which were unanimously approved by the meeting. The Minister told members of the committee that the resources of South Punjab under the formula award recommended by the committee will increase substantially and aim of this step is provision of education, health and other basic needs in the region. Senior consultant SNG Programme Faisal Rasheed told the meeting that facts and figures of 1998 censuses and MICS 2014 were used for preparing the recommendations of interim award. The meeting decided that local governments will be empowered for increasing their resources and resolving their problems in future besides provision of civil facilities will be improved in rural areas. The Minister informed the meeting that the summary of recommendations of interim finance commission will soon be sent to Chief Minister Punjab for approval.