Devolving to Local Governmts 8.3. Functions of Local Governments The allocation of functions to local governments should ideally be based on the principle of subsidiarity. According to this, a government function should be performed at the local government level rather than at a higher level if it can be demonstrated that it can be more efficiently performed at the lower level. This will, of course, depend on the area covered and the size of the population served. Also, the level of provision should be linked to the scope for seeking accountability by beneficiaries of the service provided. The Chart 8.1 indicates the functions which are generally assigned to local governments in Pakistan. The most comprehensive transfer of functions was achieved in the 2001 Devolution Plan. The size of the Budget for 2020-21 of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation is Rs 24.9 billion($ 161 million). This is the largest local government in the country in terms of the population covered. However, the budget of the Lahore Metropolitan Corporation is larger at Rs 58 billion. The average budget allocation to a Municipal Corporation or Committee by the Provincial Government of Punjab in 2018-19 was Rs 66 million and to a District Council, Rs 54 million. Chart 8.1: Functions with Local Governments • School Education*• Intra-District Roads • Public Health*• Street Lighting • Sanitation• Bridges and Storm Water Drains • Disposal of Refuse• Public Streets • Water Supply& Drainage• Slaughterhouses • Civil Defense• Building Control** • Removal of Encroachments• Prevention of Nuisances in Public Places *With District Authorities in Punjab, which are extensions of the Provincial Line Departments with some degree of autonomy. **with the Provincial Government in Sindh and Punjab. There is also the unique nature of decentralization of the education and health functions in Punjab. These have been handed over to District Authorities rather than to District Councils or Municipal Corporations/Committees. This represents the process of dominance by the bureaucratic system in the Province. 79