Khosa signs amended law: Revenue dept separated from district govts | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Khosa signs amended law: Revenue dept separated from district govts

By Intikhab Hanif

LAHORE: Governor Latif Khosa has ratified the amended Local Government Ordinance and the revenue laws passed by the Punjab Assembly on March 31, paving the way for the separation of revenue administration from the district governments.

Officials said on Tuesday the revenue administration would be formally separated from the district governments in a day or two.

The Punjab government has amended the laws to take the revenue administration directly under its control, and also to abolish some posts in the district governments which it thinks are unnecessary.

Sources said the Local Government Department and the Board of Revenue were going to move summaries to the chief minister to formally abolish the posts and to introduce the revenue administration as per the amended laws.

The service was placed under the control of the district governments under the Local Government Ordinance 2001.

After an approval by the chief minister, the departments were likely to notify the changes before April 15, sources said.

They said the existing staff in districts would be adjusted against the new posts and there would be little administrative reshuffle.

The amended local government ordinance has abolished the posts of EDO Revenue, Information Technology and Law, DO and DDO Revenue.

Under the amended revenue laws, the appellate authority of the EDOR is being given to the divisional commissioners. The DORs are going to be re-designated as additional district collectors. The DCOs are likely to be designated as district collectors.

The government has also downgraded the posts of DCOs of five big cities, including Lahore, from the existing BS-21 to BS-20.

It may be mentioned here that all provinces, including Punjab, have already recommended to the federal government to amend the CrPC so as to revive the defunct executive magistracy which they believe is necessary to establish their writ.

The provinces have also sent a mutually agreed draft for amendments to the CrPC and it is pending an approval by the inter-provincial coordination ministry headed by Raza Rabbani.
Source: Dawn
Date:4/13/2011