The Critical Appraisal of Services Delivery in Gagra Tehsil, District Buner under Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Government Act (Amendment) 2019

Abstract

This study examines delivery of services at grassroots level to people of Tehsil Gagra, Disttrict Buner Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Government (Amendment) Act, 2019 (KP LGA, 2019). Using a mixed-methods approach, the research combines quantitative data from structured questionnaires administered to rural and urban residents with qualitative insights from semi-structured interviews conducted with local government officials, community leaders, and elected representatives. Secondary sources, including government documents and policy reports, are also analyzed to contextualize the findings. The results indicate that although the 2019 amendment introduced institutional reforms aimed at strengthening local governance, its implementation has been constrained by limited financial resources, inadequate capacity and training of elected representatives, and weak intergovernmental coordination. Significant disparities in service delivery between rural and urban areas were identified, with rural communities experiencing greater challenges. The study contributes to the growing body of literature on decentralization and local governance in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by providing empirical evidence from a rural tehsil context.

Keywords: Local Government, Decentralization, Service Delivery, Tehsil Gagra