KARACHI: The Sindh Cabinet has approved a Rs4.021 billion compensations for the heavy rain affected people of the province and requested the federal government to match the grant/compensation so that affected people could be rehabilitated in true letter and spirit.
The cabinet also exempted small traders and growers from federal as well as provincial taxes just to compensate them for the losses they had suffered due to heavy downpour in 2020.
The meeting was attended by all the federal ministers and advisors, chief secretary Mumtaz Shah and other concerned officers.
The Board of Revenue on the directives of the cabinet had conducted a survey of the monsoon-2020 affected people. The survey revealed that the heavy rains claimed 149 lives, left 103 injured while 7,120 paka and 75,195 katcha houses were completely damaged, plus 9,102 paka and 171,463 katcha houses were partially damaged. As many as 8 165 cattle, cow, buffalo, horse camel and 11,630 goat, sheep and donkey heads were perished.
The cabinet was told that under the law compensation for a persons died in natural calamity had been fixed at Rs100,000 for bread earners, and Rs50,000 non bread earner.
The cabinet said that the amount was meagre, therefore , Rs100,000 for every person died due to heavy rain for bread and non-bread earner may be given. The cabinet approved. The cabinet approved Rs25,000 compensations for injured, Rs25,000 for completely partially and completely damaged pacca houses, Rs10,000 for completely and partially damaged, Rs10,000 for large cattle (cow/buffalo/Horse/cabinet) and Rs5,000 for small cattle such as goat, sheep and donkey perished.
The total amount of the compensation to be given to the affected people would come to Rs4.021 billion which the cabinet felt was insufficient for rehabilitation of the poor people. Therefore, the cabinet requested the chief minister to write a letter to the prime minister with the request to match the compensation amount, Rs4.021 billion so that every affected person could get double the amount to get himself/herself rehabilitated.
The cabinet also approved provision of relief to the small traders and growers who suffered losses due to heavy rains by giving them exemption in the federal as well as provincial taxes. The provincial government would request the federal government to give exemption of its taxes to the rain-affected small traders.
Stamp Duty Exemption: The cabinet on the request of the Pak-Oman Investment Company Ltd approved exemption of Stamp Duty amounting of Rs53.8 million on transfer of their share. The cabinet observed that when the agreement between Pak-Oman Investment Company was signed by the federal and the Oman government, the provincial government was not taken into confidence on the clauses of the agreement/exemptions.
The provincial cabinet honoring the federal government’s agreement with the Oman government approved exemption of stamp duty of Rs53.8 million on transfer of their shares but simultaneously requested the federal government to reimburse the amount, Rs53.8 million to the Sindh government.
KCR: The Transport and Mass Transit department told the cabinet that the out of 24 crossing sites of the KCR 11 crossings have to be constructed either in the shape of underpasses or flyovers for smooth flow of traffic.
The detailed design and preparation of PC-1 for the proposed structures has to be made by the FWO for which the Sindh government had to release Rs25 million. The Sindh government has already released Rs15 million and the cabinet approved release of remaining Rs10 million.
The cabinet observed that with the start of the old KCR the modern KCR as approved and included in CPEC projects could not be launched. Therefore, it was proposed that the present KCR may be stopped and work on modern one (KCR) be started by urging the federal government to finalize the financial mechanism with the Chinese authorities to start the project, otherwise it would be an injustice with the people of Karachi to travel in old KCR.
Safe City Project: The Home department told the cabinet that under the safe city project the technical process for installation of 10,000 CCTV cameras have been completed and now installation work has to be carried out. The cabinet, after thorough discussion, allowed the Home department to sign an MOU with NRTC for installation of 10,000 cameras in the city. The home department said that the project inception report, technical viability assessment report, bidding document, PC-I, survey report and control room survey have also been shared with the NRTC so that before signing MOU necessary documents and reports could be finalized.
Magisterial Powers: The cabinet on the proposal of home department grated special magistrate powers to the revenue officers. The powers include criminal procedure code, motor vehicle ordinance, Ehtram-e-Ramzan Ordinance 1981, Price Control, prevention of profiting, control of loudspeaker, gambling ordinance, animal slaughters control act, prohibition of smoking and manufacture and use of polythene bags.
The cabinet directed the Home department to coordinate with the high court for its consent.
Ombudsman: The cabinet approved the appointment of Justice (R) Shahnawaz Tariq as provincial Ombudsman for protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace for a tenure of two years.
Grant of Time scale: The cabinet was told that some college teachers were demanding promotions on the basis of time scale. The cabinet directed Minister Education to review the request keeping in view the seniority of the teacher, cumulative financial impact and other related factors and submit the report to the cabinet.
Exemption of tax: The energy department presented a request in the cabinet saying that the federal government has already granted exemption of its taxes on the construction of coal-mining development and coal-based electricity generation in Thar coal field. The Sindh government had also given such exemption which has expired in June 2020. The cabinet, keeping in view energy sector development projects in Thar, granted exemption of Sindh Sales Tax for another five years upto June 2025.
Pistols procurement: The cabinet was told that the IG police intended to procure 700 pistols 9mm (8-6) from M/s Wah Industries for which solicited exemption from operation of SPPRA rules was requested. The cabinet approved the exemption and release of Rs630 million.
CNG Buses: The cabinet was told that the KMC had 66 CNG buses but almost all were off road. The local government department requested the cabinet to approve relaxation of rules for auction of rights for operation, complete management and fare collection of dedicated 66 CNG buses. These buses would operate on the route from Gulshan-i-Hadeed to Keamari via Shahrah-e-Faisal and other routes for public transport service in the city.
The cabinet relaxed the rules and allowed the local government to auction the operation rights for five years.
Falconry Ground: Sindh Forest department to the cabinet that the member of ruling family of Qatar has applied for allotment of non-cultivated belt of Tehsil Jati, Distt Sujawal for Falconry season 2020-21 with assurance of abiding by rules.
The cabinet was told that the compulsory hunting fee was $100,000 which has been increased by $5000. The cabinet approved the request.
SKAA: The Sindh Katchi Abadis Authority (SKAA) presented a budget of Rs369 million for the year 2020-21 which the cabinet approved and directed the authority to release salaries of the employees immediately.
The chief minister directed the chief secretary to convene the next cabinet meeting on December 24 in which different committees would present their reports.