Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has decided to impose a ban on the transfers, postings of council employees and new hiring in Local Councils with immediate effect to enhance transparency, efficiency, and working of local councils.
The meeting was held at CM House and was attended by Minister Local Govt Saeed Ghani, Minister P and D Nasir Shah, Additional Chief Secretary Local Govt Khalid Hyder Shah, Secretary Finance Fayaz Jatoi, Secretary to CM Raheem Shaikh and others.
The chief minister said that no employee of one local council could be transferred to another council, therefore the details of the transfers/postings of local council employees during the last five years may be provided to him within 15 days. “I would assess and inspect the number of employees who have been appointed properly,” he said.
Murad Ali Shah also imposed a complete ban on new hiring in councils. The local councils should outsource their basic municipal functions if they are short of staff,” he decided.
Mr Shah directed Minister of Local Government Saeed Ghani to implement the SAP system for payment of salaries to local government employees in all the union councils, town and municipal committees, district councils and municipal and metropolitan corporations. “The local government department has developed an SAP system and I want you [Minister Local Govt] to implement it and stop the salaries being paid to ghost employees, if any,” he said.
To a question, Minister Local govt Saeed Ghani told the CM that there were 1889 local bodies, including one Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) five District Municipal Corporations, 45 Town Municipal Corporations, 22 district councils, 36 Municipal Committees, 142 Town Committees, 1638 union councils. Mr Shah directed the Minister to protect the salaries of the employees so that they could be paid when they remain without posting.
The chief minister directed Minister Local Government Saeed Ghani to take drastic measures to improve efficiency, and effectiveness in the local councils so that public problems relating to municipal issues could be resolved at their doorsteps.
The Chief Minister and Minister of Local Government agreed to introduce reforms in the local government board and develop a transparent system for transfer/postings and promotions of local bodies employees.
Shah said that during his meetings with local bodies representatives in Divisional headquarters, a demand for a raise in the local bodies budget be increased. He directed Minister Local Government Saeed Ghani to submit proposals for a raise in the local bodies’ budget/grants so that the proposal could be included in the budget for the next financial year.
The chief minister also directed the local govt minister to send him a proposal for the constitution of the Provincial Finance Commission.