Turning UPs into change agents

If empowered, elected representatives of over 4,500 union parishads (UPs) can act as real change agents for speedy economic development of villages. That these UPs can generate local resources to some extent even under existing arrangements is amply evident from the experience of three UPs in Paba upazila of the Rajshahi district. As reported in the FE on Saturday, such UPs, through various steps, are experiencing hundred per cent compliance with payment of holding tax.
What is really encouraging is that in order to raise public awareness, the UPs in Paba upazila have decided to hold tax fairs in January next. Beside arranging tax collection weeks, tax camps will also be set up in each of the wards. To ensure transparency and accountability, tax recovery software is being prepared. The collected tax money is being spent on various development activities of the UPs. Already, tree saplings have been planted on land in cluster villages and earth dumping works are being done for removing water logging. They have also decided to do more development works in the wards that will pay more taxes. Such local level taxes could have been collected more comfortably, had there been effective measures for sharing or receiving revenue receipts in areas of different service delivery activities like land registration and mutation and micro-credit.
However, mere collection of holding tax is not enough for effective local development. Along with the annual grants-in-aid by the central government that are allocated under the national budget, the UPs, under close monitoring and supervision by the elected upazila parishads, could serve as launching pads for speedy rural development, if such funds could have been supplemented by more local resources mobilised through appropriate efforts. Section 38 of the Local Government (Union Parishads) Ordinance, 1983 as well as the relevant provisions of the Constitution of the Republic has otherwise empowered the UPs to function effectively. But sadly such measures and provisions are not being enforced in case of local government (LG) bodies at the grassroots. The concept of Union Parishad Standing Committee relates to the objective of making the UPs more active and efficient. According to the Local Government Union Parishads (Amendment) Acts 1993 and 2001, each UP required to constitute 13 standing committees. Such committees were to see implementation of different local level projects.
Responsible for issues like education, health, family planning, social welfare and disaster management, agriculture, fisheries and livestock, the UP standing committees could bring about a transformation in the development paradigm but for rendering those non-functional. Those are inactive in about 90 per cent of the UPs because the elected chairmen and other members have not been made properly aware of, and interested in, their respective operational jurisdictions and functional responsibilities. To that end, the chairmen and members needed to be trained properly. Such committees in three UPs in Satkhira and one in Kaliganj upazilas have done some commendable jobs in sectors like agriculture, fisheries, livestock, education and health. Initiatives should immediately be taken to activate all the standing committees for effective functioning of the UPs all across the country. Even under the existing local government structure, they can contribute quite positively.