GROWING NEEDSOF PLANNERS IN PAKISTAN: A CASE STUDY OF PUNJAB PROVINCE

Abstract

In Pakistan, the human settlements are expanding mainly because of urbanization.Due to this population growth, rapid haphazard urban sprawl is occurring and thus created the demand of professionals working for the planning of small and large settlements. As a result, the planners are assigned tasks to plan both urban as well as rural settlements. These planners are given powers byPunjab Local Government Ordinance (PLGO) 2001. Under this devolution plan (2001 PLGO ordinance) posts of town planners are created at district and Tehsil (Sub District) levels. Apart from this Local Government Department, planners are placed in development authorities as well as in various government departments. The major responsibility of these planners is to monitor the pace of development and then streamline the same in coordinated and controlled way. But it is observed that many seats in local government and other departments are lying vacant due to non-availability of qualified planners in the market. This situation is reducing the efficiency of government departments mainly because of absence of planners. This paper mainly explores the growing needs of planners particularly in the province of Punjab.