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Aiyar to lead delegation to Pakistan

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Union Panchayati Raj Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar will lead a 57-member delegation to Pakistan to attend a symposium on local self governance.

During the three-day visit to Lahore beginning on July 1, the delegation will discuss issues such as the legal framework of local governments, the history and results of Indian and Pakistani local government systems with focus on constitutional, legal, democratic, financial and administrative empowerment besides experience sharing of local governance.

To be organised by the National Reconstruction Bureau of Pakistan, the symposium will also discuss post-colonial administration and its effects on governance, fiscal decentralisation, fiscal capacity and financial management at the local level and the outcomes of the local government system in Pakistan and India with focus on public accountability, community empowerment and e-governance.

The two sides are expected to come out with a concluding statement on Pakistan-India collaboration in sharing experiences of local governance.

The two countries had on June 7, 2005 agreed to constitute a joint working group on local governance to share the experiences of the local government systems in Pakistan and India on a regular basis, promote the cause of good governance in the region and explore ways of communicating shared principles on local governance reforms with a view to encourage adoption of appropriate practices by both the countries.

The joint working groups would also design a comprehensive exchange programme among the local government institutions of both countries, and explore ways to enhance the effectiveness of local governance reforms in India and Pakistan as well as in the region.

The delegation comprises State Ministers, Members of Parliament, Members of Legislative Assemblies, the former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Digvijay Singh, officials from the Union Panchayati Raj Ministry and experts in the field of local governance and sociologists.

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