The Sindh government has made the decision to amend the Sindh Local Government (LG) Act 2023 in order to strengthen and empower local government institutions in the province. The amendments will be sent to Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori after being passed by the Sindh Assembly.
As part of these amendments, the government plans to establish water and sewerage corporations in Hyderabad, Sukkur, Mirpur Khas, and Nawabshah. These corporations will be led by the local governments, with Mayor Kashir Shoro set to become the chairman of Hyderabad’s water and sewerage corporation.
The amendments to the LG Act are aimed at transferring municipal powers to the grassroots level, providing more authority and autonomy to mayors and UC chairmen. In July, the Sindh cabinet approved key amendments that empowered LG institutions, mayor, and UC chairmen.
Following these amendments, mayors and UC chairmen will head the development authorities in their respective divisions and districts across the province. This means that the Karachi mayor, for example, will become the ex officio of the Karachi Development Authority (KDA), Lyari Development Authority (LDA), and Malir Development Authority (MDA).
The Hyderabad mayor will become the chairman of the Hyderabad Development Authority (HDA). The amendments also include the appointment of chief executives for regional solid waste management and the water and sewerage board, with the consultation of the respective mayors.
Furthermore, the chairman of the concerned council will serve as the ex officio of the Sehwan Development Authority (SDA). All development authorities’ employees across Sindh will now work under the orders of the respective councils.
These amendments are a step toward decentralization and empowering local governments, allowing them to have more control over decision-making processes and effectively address the needs of their communities.
With the revised Sindh LG Act, the government aims to promote better governance, improve service delivery, and ensure sustainable development at the local level.
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