RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: Punjab Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Social Welfare Minister Raja Basharat has said that the new system of local government is different from all the old systems which will help in solving problems at the grassroots level.

He was addressing the inaugural function of online training programme for newly recruited officers in Punjab Local Government Department here on Monday. On the occasion, Punjab LG Secretary Dr Ahmad Javed Qazi gave a detailed briefing to on departmental matters while Special Secretary Local Bodies Babar Aman Babar highlighted the purpose and usefulness of the online training programme.

Congratulating the new officers, the Minister said that fulfilling the expectations of the people connected with the local government system should be their mission. He said that the new local government system is an important part of the PTI government’s manifesto, which will be a prelude to real change in the province. He expressed the hope that the officers would serve the people on merit, as they are recruited on merit.

On the occasion, the Secretary Local Government said that the municipal officers recruited in various cadres, including finance, infrastructure, service, regulation and engineering, have been included in the training and they will further excel their professional skills. “The Punjab LG Department has recruited these 402 officers in the local governments through Punjab Public Service Commission. In view of the Coronavirus, it had been decided to conduct pre-service training of new officers online rather than at the Local Government Academy,” he added.

Babar Aman Babar said that the decision of online training was proving to be very beneficial. “The cost stated by the training academy for this programme was Rs. 26 million while the actual cost of this online training is now only Rs 170,000,” he added.

Local Government DG Asiya Gul, Additional Secretary Admin Bilal Ilyas, Deputy Secretary Rizwan Manzoor, Secretary Local Government Board Mazhar Iqbal, Mahmood Masood Tamna, Najeeb Aslam and many other officials were present on the occasion.