S.A Haidri
Muzaffarabad:(Parliament Times) Secretary Local Government and Rural Development Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Mansoor Qadir Dar has said that reforms in Local Government and Rural Development (LG&RD) are inevitable and improvements besides developments will be observed momentarily after the next fiscal year. Mansoor Qadir Dar expressed his views while talking to senior journalists here at Capital Journalists Forum (CJF) office on Monday, Senior Journalist Khizar Hayat Abbasi, President CJF Tariq Naqash, Secretary General Raja Adeel Ahmed Khan, Muhammad Aslam Mir, Raja Shujaat, Sajjad Mir, Farooq Mughal, Kashif Mir, Saqib Ali Haidri and others were also present on the occasion.Speaking on the event, Mansoor Qadir Dar said that Local Government and Rural Development department was facing tax collection issues, in addition agreement for more than 2 decades were needed to be reviewed.
He reiterated that new modification policies has been set and will be established in next fiscal year, “there are many proposal regarding effective tax collection and evaluation of longest undecided agreements will be introduced before long” he said. He stated that new agreements besides leasing policy will be renewed with updated market rates besides audit of on-going agreements. Mansoor Qadir Dar uttered that the whole team of LG&RD is endeavoring to enhance the capabilities of the department on the direction of Prime Minister AJK Raja Farooq Haider Khan.
He stated that all bus stations and other lorry stands will be upgraded as they are the basic revenue generating tools in all cities.Quoting the example of London Mayor he said, “Mayor of London is more powerful than government, this is how the department wants to empower the local bodies before Municipal elections.” While asking about development funds for upcoming elected councilors and Mayor, Mansoor Dar said that the total development budget for local bodies is 8 million rupees.Moreover, he said that as local body elections are expected this year, with better tax collection and development funds, all elected councilors and mayors including deputy mayor will have development funds allocated after the elections.
Talking on the new initiatives taken by LG&RD, he mentioned that NJHP has given 270 million rupees for environmental issues, he maintained that department has decided to acquire land in Zaminabad some 40 kilometers from Muzaffarabad to establish a recycling plant and that plant will have the capacity to gather the debris not only from Muzaffarabad but from the whole division.While expressing about the benefits of Prime Minister Community Infrastructure Development Program (PMCIDP), he said that PMCIDP is a transparent system and all schemes under this program are allocated after proper survey and scrutiny.
He maintained that every scheme in PMCIDP have separate code, representing the scheme, in addition XEN, site engineer including deputy director and other pertinent officers monitor work progress on every scheme even after every hour via social media updates.
“Assistant Directors of relevant district have assignment accounts, which determines that the funds will be utilized on the specific scheme for which funds have been allocated” Dar echoed.
Furthermore, around 1 lac 50 thousand labor are being hired to work on the development schemes under PMCIDP around the State which has reduced poverty.
“Every constituency will get 50 million rupees for development funds in each fiscal year and each constituency will get 250 million in 5 years which is noteworthy regarding development” Dar added.
Mansoor Qadir dar further expressed about other initiatives of LG&RD department including Pilot project of tagging will be further enhanced and the data would be available via GIS system.
He stated that LG&RD don’t have any specific building yet but department will have its own office before long.
He applauded that a project of 571 solar lights worth of 100 million rupees is going to be installed soon in whole city,
He said that all these projects will bring social and economic benefits in the State.
