Defunct KDA, KMC still await devolution

December 24, 2009
By Irfan Aligi

KARACHI: The two major autonomous authorities, the defunct Karachi Development Authority (KDA) and the defunct Karachi Municipal Corporation (LMC) have yet to be devolved fully while despite a decade has passed over, the fateful authorities and consequently their employees are still in dilemma particularly they are facing cumbersome environment regarding all aspects.

Sources privy to these situations have said that as regards to the specific situation of the city of Karachi, which is the largest metropolitan city of the country, the disbursement of salaries and perks and lawful privileges of these two defunct authorities are still a big question mark.

The sources have reminded that it was pertinent to mention that the devolution plan was aimed at to decentralize the powers upto the grass root level in order to ensure involvement of the citizens in policy-making and planning compartments of the system in Pakistan.

This was followed by the establishment of local government systems in the country with separate local government ordinances (LGO).

The agenda thus prescribed was to reconstruct the national institutions of the state.

However, the prime objectives of the devolution in case of these two defunct authorities especially ensuring functioning of offices to improve service delivery and to eliminate delays in decisions made for disposing of the matters concerned via increased administrative and financial authority are yet to be given to these two defunct authorities.

The sources have further added that these two defunct authorities have been merged with the City District Government Karachi (CDGK) but these were not devolved. Henceforth, the CDGK has to cater to these defunct authorities for their financial and other related concerns, which have proved an awesome responsibility.

The sources have claimed that the CDGK has to arrange for monthly salaries of officers and these two defunct authorities, which comes to Rs 600 million of which Rs 100 million and Rs 400 million are for the defunct KDA and the defunct KMC respectively. Further, around Rs 100 are for pension for both.

The sources further said that after devolution, provincial government has been held responsible for salaries plus 20 percent increases in salaries and pension money for all devolved institutions but these two authorities have been pending with the decision for declaring them as fully devolved departments.

However, the provincial government releases funds for the salaries and perks and pension only for those employees that fall under fully devolved category. Nonetheless, the defunct KDA and the defunct KMC stand to be as being suspended amid devolved and non-devolved category.

The sources added that the CDGK has not yet disbursed salaries or pension for the month of Dec to the employees of these defunct authorities, which is Rs 600 million. Although the CDGK has arranged for the required funds but still they are facing an acute shortfall of Rs 120 million of which Rs 80 million and Rs 140 million are for the defunct KDA and the defunct KMC respectively.

The sources claimed that the Single Line Transfer Fund are restricted to only devolved portion of the CDGK and the employees of this portion get their salaries and other benefits from the provincial government through Accountant General of Sindh.

The sources said that the financial releases in terms of Octroi and Zilla Tax in favour of the CDGK are also insufficient as this amounts to Rs 284 million.