KARACHI: Sindh Workers Welfare Board has cut all its major welfare expenditures due to non-release of funds since last March and could face monetary challenges after 30th June if the transfer of funds is not ensured in time.
This was revealed during a briefing to caretaker minister for labor and human resources Simon John Daniel here at the board head office. Secretary SWWB Syed Mehdi Shah, Director Finance Anwer Ausaf, Assistant Secretary Education Ms. Nuzhat Habib, Deputy Director Welfare Ahtisham, and Deputy Director Technical Muzafar Shah made detailed briefing on the budget, development, education and welfare measures.
The board’s secretary also informed that the governing body had completed its term and owing to delay in the reconstitution of the new governing body, we were unable to present the budget for the financial year 2018-19. He added that procedure of fund transfers to the board have also been changed without bringing into the notice of the board.
‘’When we approached Sindh Revenue Board (SRB) for the transfer of funds collected from industrial units and companies under Sindh Worker Welfare Fund, we were verbally advised to approach finance department for release of funds saying that SRB had transferred funds amounting to around Rs 2 billion to finance department,” secretary board added.
He informed that formerly workers fund were directly transferred to SWWB by the Sindh Revenue Board. Shah said that at present, funds were being collected from companies and industrial units on the basis of old minimum wages, adding that then minimum wages were 3000 per month and suggested to amend relevant rules for the collection of workers fund as minimum wages have been raised to 15000.
On the occasion, caretaker labour minister Simon John Daniel assured board to raise this important issue with higher authorities of Sindh government. He also directed to convene a joint meeting of labor secretary and board administration with secretary finance on an urgent basis to resolve this matter. The caretaker minister for labor Simon John Daniel said that workers were the key stakeholders of our country economy, adding that if worker prosperous, country would progress.