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Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Centre asks governors to invite 'Swacchagrahi', eco-warriors, kin of martyrs to Independence Day 'At Home' function
New Delhi, 'Swacchagrahi', 'eco-warriors', people who were lauded in Prime Minister's 'Mann ki Baat' and those who made exemplary contributions to society, including during the Covid pandemic, are expected to be invited at the 'At Home' function to be hosted by the Governors and Lieutenant Governors on Independence Day. Centre asks governors to invite 'Swacchagrahi', eco-warriors, kin of martyrs to Independence Day 'At Home' function In a communication to the state governments and Union Territory administrations, the Union Home Ministry said 'Divyangjans', next of kin of martyrs, participants or winners of prominent sports events, exceptional educators and frontline health workers should be invited at the 'At Home' function, a ceremonial reception hosted by the Governors and LGs in the evening of Independence day at Raj Bhavan. The President also hosts such an event at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, where the prime minister, union ministers, diplomats, senior military officers and distinguished guests are invited. '''At Home' function at Governor/LG House may be commenced in the evening . This function represents a diverse set of invitees, apart from usual protocol-based invitees. On this occasion, the following indicative categories of guests could be invited," the home ministry communication to the state and UTs said. The categories are: 'Divyangjans' , achievers in different fields, people who made exemplary contribution to society, including during the time of Covid, 'eco-warriors' or people who performed exemplary for environmental conservation, 'Swacchagrahi' , references from the State/UT in PM's 'Mann ki Baat', Padma awardees, NoKs of martyrs and participants/winners of Olympics and other important sports events of national or international standards. The other categories mentioned were exceptional educators, frontline health workers, children bravery awardees, women 'Sarpanches' , student toppers, best researchers or innovators. The home ministry said at least 25-50 such personalities should be invited and their names should be announced in advance to enable the invitees to prepare for the occasion. "The majority of the gathering could be under the category of special invitees under different categories. A system whereby the invitee list is generated afresh every year should be instituted, so that the opportunity is given to a broad set of people. It could be considered that a person gets an invite just once," it said. The home ministry said special attention may be paid to the band at the Governor/LG House and it should play patriotic songs and not simply songs from movies. A system of competition among school bands should be instituted whereby the winners get to perform at the Governor House during the 'At Home' reception. The invitation card for Governor/LG 'At Home' should be created in a way that these are treasured for life as souvenir by the invitees, marking it as a special occasion once in life and if some good innovation has been done by the state the same can be exhibited during the 'At Home' function, the communication said. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Business Recorder
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Dysfunctional LGs
EDITORIAL: 'Without functional and empowered local governments [LGs], Pakistan's democratic dream remains incomplete,' so declared opinion leaders from various walks of life at a recent book launch on 'Local Government: Foundation of Democratic System' at Islamabad's Sustainable Development Policy Institute. Unfortunately, the idea of devolution of power to the grassroots and making social services both responsive and accessible to the public never sat well with our political elites. All the elected provincial governments had been reluctant to hold LG polls until the Supreme Court intervened, ordering strict compliance with the relevant constitutional provision. Yet, efforts to institutionalise and empower these bodies keep getting undermined through political and administrative measures. At present Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have up and running LGs, though sans the necessary administrative and financial powers. Notably, the law calls on the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold elections within 120 days of the expiry of outgoing local bodies' terms in a province, cantonment, or the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT). The term of these bodies in Punjab expired on December 31, 2021; and that of ICT on February 14 of the same year. Four years on, authorities both in Islamabad and Lahore show no sign of holding the elections they have kept delaying on one pretext or the other, with the ECP playing along. In fact, they are unlikely to go for the LG polls in the foreseeable future for fear of losing to the main opposition party, the PTI. Although the other provinces have fulfilled this legal formality, they stay persistent on controlling political and administrative powers from top to down. All political parties ruling in the provinces zealously guard the autonomy the 18th Amendment grants them, but refuse to cede or even share power with the people's representatives at the grassroots level. LGs lack the ability to raise their own revenue, and hence are heavily dependent on allocations made by provincial authorities. That leaves them without resources for addressing local needs, such as education, healthcare, infrastructure, etc., at local level. Thus is effectively being negated the very purpose of local governments. As noted earlier, inordinate delays in holding elections, almost always due to political considerations, deprive citizens of the right to participate in grassroots democracy and seek redress of local problems at the local level. It is imperative therefore that civil society groups play a beneficial role in this regard, ensuring schedule for LG elections in Punjab and ICT is announced without any further ifs and buts. And the provincial governments ought to be pressed not only to decentralise administrative powers but also replicate the National Finance Commission resource distribution formula at the third tier of government, failing which participatory development dream will remain unfulfilled. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
04-02-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
K-P local councils plan all-party confab
PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Local Councils Association has decided to hold an all parties conference in Peshawar on February 14 to develop consensus on problems faced by the local bodies due to lack of funds and administrative powers. The provincial leadership of all parties including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf will be invited and the problems of local governments will be presented to them and full cooperation will be requested. An important meeting of the Local Councils Association was held in Peshawar on Tuesday chaired by its President Himayatullah Mayar. The meeting was attended by mayors and tehsil chairmen from across the province. The problems of LGs were discussed in detail at the meeting. Mayar, said that on the occasion of the Peshawar sit-in on January 1, the negotiation committee of the provincial government comprising of Local Government Minister Arshad Ayub Khan, Education Minister Faisal Tarkai, Revenue Minister Nazir Abbasi, Special Assistant Rangiz Khan, had promised to resolve the demands within 20 days and within a week a meeting with the chief minister K-P was to be arranged. He further said that even after a month, the problems have not been resolved, nor has a meeting been held with the Chief Minister. The provincial government is not showing seriousness in solving the problems of the LGs including provision of powers and funds, he maintained. He said that the provincial government is not fulfilling its promises as recently the Cabinet approved Rs5 lakh for each village and neighborhood councils in the merged districts and MPAs and MNAs have been included in the committees instead of LG representatives. Mayar announced the meeting's declaration and released the details of the decisions made. According to the unanimous decision of the Local Councils Association, letters will be sent to the government ministers involved in the negotiations during the Peshawar protest urging them to fulfill the promises within seven days, otherwise, on 11 February, meetings of 131 tehsils of K-P will be held and a full protest will be recorded.
