Karachi, October 20, 2021 (PPI-OT):Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that an unprecedented Tsunami of price hike in the country has deprived poor people of simple bread and butter – people are in severe pain and have no courage to cry, therefore the provincial government, just to give some relief to the low paid employees in public and private sector, has decided to ensure payment of Rs25,000 minimum wage and may increase it further.
“For the purpose we are setting up a forum at the Labour and Industries departments to ensure proper implementation of government decisions in the public as well as private sector.” This he said while addressing a press conference just after presiding over a cabinet meeting at the CM House. He was accompanied by Minister Labour Saeed Ghani, Minister Education Sardar Shah and Minister Industries Ikramullah Dharejo.
Mr Shah said that the cabinet unanimously has expressed serious reservations against defective, immature, and unrealistic policies which have ended up in a record price hike in which even white-collar people are unable to afford square meals for their families. “This is quite a painful situation,” he said and added this was why the cabinet decided to task the Labour and Industries departments to implement payment of minimum wage of Rs25,000 in all government organizations and in the private sector.
The CM recalled that when his government had enhanced minimum wage from Rs17,500 to Rs25,000 he was criticized by the federal government- “but keeping in view the situation and capabilities of the federal government which has ruin its precious time in crushing its political opponents and promulgating ordinances, had taken the important decisions which has become need of the time these days,” he said.
Atta Prices: To a question, Murad Ali Shah said that the federal government had failed to stop wheat smuggling last year and has also failed this year, as a result atta prices have increased considerably. He added that in Sindh Rs77 per kg atta was available but where atta prices of Rs55 per kg were being claimed by the federal ministers were not fit for even cattle consumption. He said that the policy of the federal government was peculiar in the sense that it passes the buck of its all failures to its previous governments but as a matter of fact it has failed completely.
Malir Expressway: The chief minister, replying to a question regarding Malir expressway said that its alignment was changed a bit to save some old villages but with the change of alignment cost of the project has increased. The change in alignment was not acceptable to some of the stakeholders, therefore his government has decided to take all the stakeholders on board. He added that this was the reason that the project has been delayed.
Teachers recruitment: Talking about recruitment of teachers, Murad Ali Shah said that the School education department had announced 23,510 vacancies for Primary School Teachers (PST) and 14039 of Junior Elementary School (JEST) against which 18,4209 candidates appeared for PST and 1,64319 for JEST, of them 11549 qualified the test for PST and 01385 for JEST respectively.
He said that the cabinet discussed the situation and decided to waive the condition of 45 percent marks and 50 percent marks were approved for minorities and girls and 33 percent for hard areas and differently abled persons to qualify the test. “In this way the vacancies would be filled to run the schools which are facing dearth of teachers,” he said and added the left over candidates who have qualified the test under the newly approved criteria but could not be appointed due to non-availability of vacancies, would be placed on waiting list for one year.
Health management cadre: The health department proposed establishment of a Health Management Cadre (HMC) of doctors, who qualified with M.Ph to be posted on the administrative posts, after making necessary amendments in the recruitment rules. The proposed amendment in the recruitment rules of doctors of BS-18, BS-19 and BS-20, including enhancement of eligibility criteria/qualification and method of appointment for doctors on administrative positions under HMC.
Under the new arrangement 60 percent doctors would be appointed on HMC by promotion from Grade BS-17 having at least five-year service in grade BS-17 and 10 percent amongst grade BS-18 senior medical officers and 30 percent by initial appointment through the Public Service Commission. The cabinet after thorough consideration approved the amendment in the rules and the proposal of establishing HMC in the health department.
8 health units given to PPHI: The provincial cabinet on the recommendation of the health department approved handing over of eight health facilities to PPHI in Larkana district. They include three taluka hospitals of Arija, Ratodero and Dokri. 50-bedded hospital Garhi Khuda Bux, 100-bedded hospital Naudero, three Rural health centers (RHCs) of Badah, Bangul Dero and Garello.
The cabinet also constituted a committee comprising Minister Energy Imtiaz Shaikh, Advisor Law Murtaza Wahab, Chairman PPHI Board of Directors, Secretary GA and Secretary Health to restructure/reconstitute Board of Governors of PPHI as per the Public Sector Companies rules 2013 and remove anomalies, if any.
200-acre land for Navy: On the request of Pakistan navy the provincial cabinet approved allotment of 200-acre land from N.C No.255 of Deh Lal Bakhar on 99 years lease to Pakistan Navy for residential purpose- Navy Cooperative Housing Society.
The cabinet also approved to transfer 433.25 acres of land stretching over 36 km from Vajihar to Thar Block-II to Sindh Engro Coal Mine Company (SECMC) for laying pipe for water supply scheme.
Vehicles for Crime Scene Unit: The cabinet was told that the Crime Scene Unit (CSU) were being established. The Crime scene investigation primarily deals with the identification, collection, proper packing, transport and analysis of evidence material.
The government has worked out a plan to establish CSU in 31 police districts of the province for which Rs194.4 million have been allocated. At present, 10 Crime Scene units are working in Karachi but they are not properly functional due to non-availability of the designated vehicles, six other units have been established in Karachi range but are non-functional, one in Hyderabad and one in Larkana.
The cabinet approved the plan to functionalize eight units in Karachi range and 23 in districts of the rest of the province. The units would be established in SSP offices. The cabinet also approved procurement of designated vehicles for all the 31 units for Rs177.281 million.
Sindh Secretariat Services Bill: The provincial cabinet approved the Provincial Assembly of Sindh Secretariat Services Bill, 2021 just to regulate the recruitment and the conditions of the services of persons appointed in the Secretariat of the Sindh Assembly. The cabinet referred the bill to the provincial assembly for discussion and approval.
The Sindh Urban Immovable Property Tax Act, 1958 under which the government may, by notification, for reasons to be recorded, remit in whole or part, the payment of tax by any class of persons in respect of any category of property in any rating area. After the amendment the provincial government would be able to provide relief to its citizens in case of any natural calamity such as Earthquake, Flood, Pandemic etc.
Progress of uplift portfolio: The meeting was told that the development budget for 2021-22 has been allocated at Rs329.02 billion which include Rs222.5 billion provincial ADP, Rs30 billion District ADP, 71.16 billion Foreign aided projects and Rs5.36 billion federal PSDP grants.
It was disclosed that there 3315 schemes, including 1646 on-going and 1669 new launched at an allocation of Rs222.5 billion. Rs138.384 billion have been allocated for 1646 on-going schemes against which Rs60.894 billion have been released while the expenditures have been recorded at Rs28.547 billion. The 1669 new schemes launched for Rs84.116 billion have been provided Rs208 million and most of them were in the process of approval.
PPP mode projects: The cabinet was told that the Public Private Partnership (PPP) Unit was working successfully and it has already completed several projects. They include Hyderabad-Mirpurkhas Dual Carriageway, Sir Aga Khan Jhirk-Mullakatiar bridge on River Indus, Karachi-Thatta dual carriageway.
It was pointed out that work on the Ghotki-Kandhkot bridge was in progress. The 2-km bridge project has been launched for Rs14 billion and would be completed in July 2023. Apart from two kilometers bridge it has 14.80 km approaching road from Ghotki side and 15.2 km road from Kandhkot side and 4.5 km link road.
For more information, contact:
Press Secretary,
Chief Minister House, Sindh
Tel: +92-21-99202019 (Ext: 336)
Website: www.cmsindh.gov.pk