KABUL - Afghanistan Council of Minister (ACM) approved what it called a district and village level national policy of governance to better represent the public, oversight services delivery and act as a single coordination body, the CM said Wednesday.

The policy set the law until the district councils are elected for 374 districts, said the office for the CM in a statement.

Welcoming the ratification of the policy, Deputy Minister for Policy and Technical Affairs, Dr. Farid Mamondzay urged that the policy has paved the way for the elected district councils, the statement added.

These councils can help achieve the local governance objectives and ensure better service deliver, said Dr. Mamondzay.

Meanwhile, Sayed Khamosh the General Director of Coordination for Local Councils Affairs also welcomed the timely action taken by the Council of Ministers and said that the policy clearly stipulates the roles, functions and relationships of DCC with entities at district and village level, the statement quoted.

According to Khamosh, the DCCs will replace all Shuras (Assemblies) that perform governance and development functions at the district level. DCC will act as singles political body to represent people on the local level. DCCs will increase coordination and ensure transparency.

The Independent Directorate of Local Governance congratulates all government officials on the ratification of the policy; and therefore, would like to appreciate the cross-sectored efforts of the General Director of Office of Administrative Affairs, Senior Minister Hidayat Amin Arsala, Ministries of Rural Rehabilitation and Development, Justice, Finance and Economy and civil society organization for putting this policy together through a consultative process.

The District Councils’ elections were planned to happen in 1392 (2013), but was postponed due to technical problems, according to the Independent Election Commission (IEC). (WNA)