Role Of Local Government In Improving Public Service- Delivery In Punjab: A Comparative Study Of District Lahore And Kasur

Abstract

Local government is a key feature for the good governance and public service delivery at local level in Pakistan. It provides a means for delivering public services, political representation and budget allocation to local citizens at a grassroot level. Ayub Khan introduced local government by Zulfikar Bhutto, Zia and Musharraf. Musharraf devolution plan was more comprehensive. However, all these initiatives for local governments were regulated by federal government. The introduction of 18th Amendment has abolished federal supremacy on local government system and declared local government as sole of provincial government. The Punjab government has introduced 2019 Act designed to further decentralize the power by creating local councils, enhancing public participation and simplifying its structure. In the same way, Act of 2022 is introduced to simplify and strengthen the local political representative’s role, budgetary control of the local government. This study is design to compares the 2019 and the 2022 Acts and assesses their impact on District Lahore and Kasur’s Local governance and public service delivery.