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LAHORE: “All the 4015 union councils of Punjab are going to be interconnected through an automated web-based system in collaboration with Nadra.

Through this mobile application, beside online complaints, people may now report and register birth, death, marriage and divorce online. Such digital civil and municipal services not only promote transparency but benefit users and facilitate municipal workers, allowing them to make the most of their time. Since digitalisation is not gender neutral, the local government must ensure gender equality while introducing the new technology in the union councils.”

These views were expressed by the speakers at a public seminar on “Good Governance and Role of Local Government & Community Development Department,” organised by WISE (Women in Struggle for Empowerment) here on Thursday at a local hotel.

A large number of women including ex-lady councillors and community activists joined the event. The purpose of the event was to facilitate an interface between community women and LG officials regarding digital transformation of LG services in Punjab.

Speaking on the occasion, Javaid Iqbal Bhatti, Director Community Development Local Government of Punjab, talked about the digital initiatives of Punjab Local Government to facilitate the public. He told that all the 4015 union councils of the province are going to be interconnected through a web-based system in collaboration with Nadra.

Sharing main features of the new online application, he shared that through this mobile application People may now report and register birth, death, marriage and divorce online. Local government concerned shall contact the relevant person for completing formalities. Furthermore, residents may now launch complaints and render suggestions online through this app.

Addressing on the occasion, Farooq Ahmed Khara, Deputy Director LG and Community Development Department said, LG&CD Department has designed IT based project with the objective of transformation from manual to e-governance mode for better management, transparency, good governance and for effective performance of municipal service delivery.

Discussing amendments introduced in the Birth & Death Registration Rules 2021, he said significant reduction has been made in the civil fees of registration of Birth, Death, Marriage and Divorce to facilitate and encourage the people. Similarly, in times when there is no elected government “Volunteers of Local Government” drive has been launched to encourage youth participation in good governance. Having a volunteer network will assist in bridging this gap, he opined.

Professor Dr Rehana Saeed Hashmi, Department of Political Sciences, Punjab University talking about importance of Local Governance in Contemporary Democracies said, although local governance is third tier of government but principally it is first tier of democracy.

The main reason of the prevailing political crisis in Pakistan is the discontinuity and absence of effective local governance, she added. Digitalisation today permeates every aspect of our economic, political and social lives; however, it is not gender neutral, and LG must ensure gender equality while introducing the new automated web-based system in the union councils, she urged.

Sajid Ali, Coordinator of Shah Hussain Network talking about citizens’ participation in local governance said all the provinces except Punjab have placed in representative local governments.

Punjab is the only province where local government is being run by the administrators. The LG elections in the province are due for the last two years, which is a violation of Article 140/A of the constitution.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023

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