Sindh cabinet approves Rs 2.2 b as small loans for youth

KARACHI: The Sindh cabinet approved Self Employment Scheme for Youth, under which interest free small loans of will be given to youth. A scheme worth Rs 2.2 billion will be started from the new financial year.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday presided over  a seven long cabinet meetings and discussed and decided over 23 agenda items.

Census:

The chief minister told the cabinet the CCI meeting Monday despite his dissenting vote was approved the Census-2017 results.

“The CCI since its inception has been taking consensus decisions, but this was the first decision which has been taken with a vote dissent,” he told the cabinet and said that in such a situation he has to take up the matter in the parliament.

Provincial cabinet approved to take up the matter of the census in the parliament.

250 buses

The proposal of Minister Transport & Mass Transit Awais Qadir Shah to procure 250 diesel hybrid electric buses under Sindh Intra-District People Bus Service project was approved.

These buses would ply in Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, Mirpurkhas and Shaheed Benazirabad. The Mass Transit department has hired a professional consultant and the project would cost Rs8 billion.

The cabinet approved the proposal.

Solid Waste Management

Minister for Local Government Nasir Shah presented a draft Sindh Solid Waste Management Act-2021 which envisaged creation of Solid Waste Management Board at each divisional headquarter of the province.

Each board would be headed by a concerned commissioner of the division with the mayor of Metropolitan Corporation and metropolitan as members of the board. The cabinet approved the proposal and referred the matter to the assembly.

Wheat procurement

Minister Food Hari Ram and briefing the cabinet said that they have started procurement of wheat from April 1, 2021.

A quantity of 6,333.850 MT of wheat has been procured so far. On his proposal the cabinet waive off the condition of producing agriculture pass book/form 7.

Appeal in SC

The chief minister told the cabinet that the Sindh High Court has declared the appointment of around 1400 employees of Grade BS-16 and BS-17 of law department and some others as illegal.

He added that these employees were appointed without referring them to the Sindh Public Service Commission.

The cabinet approved a proposal to file an appeal in the Supreme Court against the decision of the high court.

Zakat dept

The cabinet approved the resignation of Justice (rtd) Ghulam Sarwar Korai as chairman Sindh Zakat Council and appointed Justice (rtd) Mohammad Iqbal Mahar as chairman.

The cabinet also approved an amendment in the Zakat & Ushr Act 2011 under which a retired civil servant in BS-20 to above can be appointed as Chairman Zakat Council.

Bikes for Livestock department

The Livestock department told the cabinet that the province of Sindh was maintaining 44.782 million head of animals and was leading production center.

The cabinet was told that a core activity was to improve genetic potential through artificial Insemination (AI) of high yielding exotic and indigenous breeds. The cabinet approved 120 motorcycles required for technical staff and sanctioned an amount of Rs238 million for purchase of motorcycles.

Sub-Committee on finance matters: The chief minister told the cabinet meeting that the Sub-Committee of the Provincial Cabinet on Financial Matters approved the proposal of Agriculture Department for provision of funds of Rs.500 million during current financial year (2020-21) for repair and maintenance of water courses damaged during recent heavy rains.

He said that he has released the amount of Rs500 million.

Health

The Sub-Committee of the Provincial Cabinet on Financial Matter after due deliberation, keeping in view emergency situation due to Covid-19, has approved the proposal of Health Department regarding creation of 59 posts of various cadres from BPS-1 to 20 and provisions for salary and non-salary expenditure in respect of Health Management, Research and Reform Unit (HMRRU).

The Sub-Committee discussed the subject matter in detail and approved the provision of additional funds amounting to Rs.119 million during 2020-21 for COVID-19 tests at NIV, Dr. Panjwani, Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, ICCBS, University of Karachi.

The Sub-Committee approved the proposal for creation of 25 posts of bailiff (24 for Anti-Terrorism Courts and one for registrar Special Courts STA/ATA) in lieu of abolition of six posts of Stenographer and seven posts of Reader (BPS-12) in respect of cost center.

Rules

The provincial cabinet approved draft rules officer laws presented by Minister labour Saeed Ghani.

They include Sindh Bonded Labour System 9Abolition) Rules 2021, Sindh Payment of Wages Rules 2021, Sindh Companies Profits (workers) Participation Rules 2021, Sindh Shops and Commercial Establishment Rules 2021, amendment in labour law to encourage female labour force participation, Workers Welfare Board, Sindh Employees Rules 2020.

The provincial cabinet approved Sindh Mining Concession Rules under which mining licenses would not be given in the areas of animal sanctuaries.

The Provincial cabinet approved appointment of Dr Wasif Ali Memon as Member/Senior Member, Sindh Revenue Board (SRB)