Day: May 31, 2022

KARACHI:A high level meeting on Revenue and Budget of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation for the next financial year was held under the chairmanship of Administrator Karachi Barrister Murtaza Wahab here on Tuesday.

Municipal Commissioner Syed Afzal Zaidi and all the department heads participated and a seven-member committee was constituted at the meeting which will reconstitute the positions of KMC officers and employees and submit them to Administrator Karachi for approval.

Addressing the meeting, the Administrator Karachi directed to meet revenue targets by the end of the financial year. “We should all be concerned if revenue targets do not improve,” he added. He said that there was a need to bridge the gap between KMC and Sindh government. “I want the officers themselves to improve their performance so that I can tell on June 30 what steps KMC has taken to achieve the revenue targets,” he said.

Wahab directed his sub ordinates to bring innovation in Karachi Zoo and Safari Park, improve things and start projects with public-private partnership where needed. He said that when children’s ward at Karachi Institute of Kidney Diseases, Abbasi Shaheed Hospital can run in collaboration with private institutions, why can’t other medical institutes and hospitals. He said that what has happened in the past should be forgotten and all the departments must perform their duties and responsibilities in an efficient manner and perform exemplary performance.

He said that no one can take the legal right of KMC, adding that even the Chief Minister Sindh, when making a decision, sees which institution has the legal right in any matter. He said that projects were being worked on under public-private partnership all over the world. “In Karachi too, there is a need to launch projects under public-private partnership and innovate in the recreational facilities that are already available,” the Administrator Karachi said.

“I want to brand KMC so that the government of Sindh can show its interest in the projects of KMC and help us to complete them,” he said. Giving a briefing on this occasion, the Director Katchi Abadi said that till 2015-16, the number of plots in Katchi Abadi was 114,120 out of which 63,552 have been leased while 50,568 plots are yet to be regularized.

If these plots are regularized, KMC could get Rs 1.24 billion. Administrator Karachi directed to make summary of lease so that this matter can be taken forward. The meeting also offered Fateha for Inspector Muhammad Ali, who was shot dead by terrorists in Anti-Encroachment Land Office on Sunday.

KARACHI:Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and the World Bank Country Director Mr Najy Binhassaine along with their respective teams discussed the overall world bank portfolio, on-going and in the pipeline, and agreed to remove bottlenecks, if any, so that they could be completed in the larger interest of the people of the province.

The CM was assisted by provincial ministers, Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, Manzoor Wassan, Mukesh Chalwa, Imtiaz Shaikh, Jam Khan Shoro, Murtaza Wahab, Rasool Bux Chandio, Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput and Chairman P and D Hassan Naqvi. The world bank delegation members were Manager Operation Gaillus Draugelis, Sector Leader Sustainable Development Mr Abedalrazq Khalil, Disaster Risk Management Specialist Bilal Khalid, Climate Specialists Ms Sana Ikram and Ahsan Tehsin and Executive Assistant Waleed Anwar.

Yellow Line: The world bank is financing the yellow line BRT project under Karachi Mobility project of $382 million. The chief minister, discussing the project said, the 21-km Yellow Line BRT is one of the important corridors of the city. He added that the route started Dawood Chowrangi – Korangi Industrial Road to Jam Sadiq Bridge, to KPT Intersection to FTC Interchange, to Shahrah-e-Quaideen, Shahrah-e-Faisal to Kashmir Road Intersection.

On the world bank country chief’s suggestion, the chief minister directed the Transport department to hire staff to assist in procurement. It was agreed that a full-fledged Project Director would be appointed along with procurement and contract management specialists within a month. After discussion, both the parties- Sindh govt and world bank, agreed that the provincial government would prepare documents for package-4 [design of the track from Jam Sadiq Bridge to Numaish/Kashmir Road intersection] so that bids for the package could be invited by July 2022.

The chief minister said that the design of the package-4 was in full swing with traffic, hydrological, structural, traffic and parking studies having almost been completed. The chief minister and the world bank country chief agreed that work on the perimeter boundary would be started in August 2022 while civil work on the project would be launched in June 2023.

Karachi water and Sewerage Services: The Karachi Water and Sewerage Services Improvement Project (KWSSIP) launched for $40 million to improve access to safe water services in Karachi and to increase KWSB’s financial and operational performance.

The chief minister told the delegation that a feasibility study for large works was completed last March, 2022. He added that detailed engineering design and tender documents both would be completed by July 15, 2022.

The CM said that the shortlist and RFP for Reforms Studies has already been approved by the World bank; the only evaluation report was due by mid July. The contract for headhunting, CEO and Reform Managers, is in progress, the chief minister said.

Property tax: The Chief Minister said that the collection of property tax has already been transferred to local bodies but they have capacity issues for collection. After thorough discussion, it was agreed that the property tax collecting staff would be attached with the local bodies.

Sindh barrages: The Sindh Barrages Improvement Project (SBIP) is a world bank aided project launched for $219 million to strengthen provincial Irrigation department’s capacity to operate and manage barrages and improve the reliability and safety of Guddu and Sukkur barrages.

The project includes rehabilitation and modernization of Sukkur barrage to provide reliable water to 10 canals and reduce floods. This will be achieved under the oversight of a newly established Barrage Monitoring Unit.

The World bank representatives said that $78.5 million have been released to finance ongoing works at Guddu Barrage. The chief minister said that the Sukkur Barrage works contract would be awarded by June 7. It was agreed that work on the project would be accelerated. Minister irrigation Jam Khan Shoro briefed the World Bank delegation about the works in progress and their issues.

Sindh Solar project: It is a $100 project launched to increase solar power generation and access to electricity in the province.

Under component one work on installation of a 50 MW Manjhand was in progress. A trilateral MoU was signed between the Sindh Energy department, the World Bank and KE to develop a 350 MW solar power station at the outskirts of Karachi. Minister energy Imtiaz Shaikh said that land for the 350 MW solar power plant was being finalized.

It was disclosed that out of 21 hospitals, 11 hospitals have been provided solar panels and remaining 10 hospitals would be provided soon for which RFP would be published by June 10.

Projects in pipeline: The projects in pipeline were also discussed. They include Sindh Livestock and Aquaculture Sectors Transformation Project, Karachi Community and Informal economy, Rural Program me for Stunting reduction and Sindh Secondary Cities.

Chairman P and D Hassan Naqvi briefed on the scope of the project to the visiting delegation. It was agreed the provincial government would submit their documentation with the World bank for necessary evaluation and approvals.