Baluchistan Local Government Act 2010.

Local government systems play a key role in providing democratic and accountable governments for local communities and ensuring that the communities receive sustainable services. This Baluchistan Local Government Act 2010 (BLGA) aims to provide for the constitution and continuance of Local Government Institutions in Balochistan, and to consolidate law relating to the Local Government and to provide for the matters connected therewith and ancillary thereto. The Act consists of 17 Chapters (containing 158 Sections).
The Province of Balochistan is privileged to be the lead province to has repealed the Balochistan Local Government Ordinance 2001 by promulgating the Balochistan Local Government Act 2010 under Article 32 and 140-A of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973 which enshrines “32. Promotion of local government institutions.- The State shall encourage local government institutions composed of elected representatives of the areas concerned and in such institutions special representation will be given to peasants, workers and women. 140-A. Local Government.- Each Province shall, by law, establish a local government system and devolve political, administrative and financial responsibility and authority to the elected representatives of the local government.”
According the Act, the local government system in Balochistan has a rural-urban divide; separate institutions are designed for rural and urban populations. The number of reserved seats for special interest groups in every local body is determined as follows: 1. Seats for women are 33% of the number of general members, with a minimum of one; Seats for workers are 5% of the number of general members, with a minimum of one; Seats for peasants are 5% of the number of general members, with a minimum of one(Sec. 10, 12). Local councils in Balochistan are mandated with functions to carry out development activities at local levels and provide basic civic amenities to citizens. Some of the powers enjoyed by local councils are: regulating water supply; regulating private drainage and sewerage and for commercial and industrial area (s) for the adequate drainage and disposal of their waste; regulate private markets established for the sale of articles of food or drink or animals; provision and maintenance of slaughter house; regulating keeping and maintaining animals; relief measures in the event of fire, flood, famine, hail storm or other natural calamities; control over dangerous and offensive trades; measures for promoting the public health; adoption of measures for increased agricultural production; establishment and maintenance of model agricultural farms; promotion of agricultural credit, agricultural education and adoption of other measures likely to promote agricultural development; preparing the council’s annual budget; levying taxes, fees, rates, rents, tolls, charge and surcharges; making and implementing development schemes for the local area; establishing a local fund to which all the revenues taxes etc. received by the local government may be credited (Section 78, 89, 96, 100, 114, 123). Section 86 indicates that Development Plans in Local Councils shall be prepared on specified sectoral proforma, including financial plan, project benefits and analysis, environmental impact, etc. A Local Council may, and if required by Government shall, make bye-laws not inconsistent with this Act and the rules framed thereunder to carry out the purposes of this Act (Sec.142).
In addition, the Act includes 5 Schedules. The First Schedule illustrates Dangerous and Offensive articles and trades. The Second Schedule exemplifies Taxes of Local Councils. The Third Schedule reveals Offences under Section 133. The Forth Schedule divulges which bye-laws may be made under Section 142, including: registration of the sale of cattle and animals, regulation of the slaughter houses, regulation of prevention of adulteration of food stuffs, regulation of milk supply, etc. The Fifth Schedule discloses the Functions of Local Councils under Section 78.