THIS is apropos the article `Formulating public policy` by former state Bank governor Dr Ishrat Husain (Nov 14). I endorse his viewpoint that the federal government has taken some momentous decisions in order to devolve power at the grassroots level.
The abolition of the Concurrent List and passage of the 18th Amendment are great milestones in this road towards devolution of power.
But practically if we analyse things at a grass roots level, most of the problems in our country are so deeply rooted that they cannot be resolved only by theformulation of policies and through ambitious plans.
We have the Planning Commission in order to plan for development schemes but the bitter reality is that most of the ruling parties are extremely myopic. Their only motive is to complete their five years` rule.
Sound and sustainable development plans are not on their agenda.
There is also the performance gap due to the absence of research-based think tanks and professional experts.
There is no mechanism for evaluation and monitoring of development plans at the grass roots level. The first responsibility ofthe local government system is that we devolve power to the grass roots level.
Throughout the world, the people resolve their basic problems through the local government system.
But it is an irony that most of our politicians are fearful of decentralisation of power at the grass roots level, as well as of the improvement of the quality of life of the marginalised people.
Owing to the absence of vigilant and vibrant accountability system most of the funds are utilised by politicians for personal use. We have suffered a lot for decades and this is not the time to fool the people witheloquent words and elusive dreams.
This is time for not only effective and sustainable policy formulation but also for the implementation of policy at the grass roots level through an effective and transparent mechanism of governance.
We need political will and sincerity with the nation.
If our politicians learn from their mistakes and work with sincerity, we can resolve our problems and can make our country prosperous through effective governance.
