KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday presided over a seven long cabinet meetings and discussed and decided over 23 agenda items, including taking the census issue to the parliament, procurement of 250 diesel hybrid electric buses for intra-district operation, devolution of Sindh Solid Management to the divisional level, withdrawal of the condition of producing Form VII to sell wheat to the food department and filing an appeal against Sindh High Court decision under which regularization of law officers and various others of grade BS-16 and 17 have been declared illegal.
The meeting that started at 10 am and concluded at five pm was attended by provincial ministers, advisors, chief secretary Mumtaz Shah and other concerned secretaries.
Census: The chief minister told the cabinet that he had attended the CCI meeting through video link on Monday in which Census-2017 was approved despite his dissenting vote. He said that he had told the prime minister that all the four provinces have serious reservations against the census result, therefore it should be conducted anew.
“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: Minister Transport and Mass Transit Awais Qadir Shah briefing the cabinet said that his department has a plan to procure 250 Diesel Hybrid Electric Buses under Sindh Intra-District People Bus Service project.
He told the cabinet that these buses would operate 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 and gave go ahead to the Transport department to procure the buses. The chief minister said that he would provide necessary funds to the department for the purpose and termed it a good news for the people of six districts.
SSWMB: 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 board would have a Managing director to fulfil the function of the board. The cabinet approved the proposal and referred the matter to the assembly.
Wheat procurement: Minister Food Hari Ram and his department Secretary Haleem Shaikh briefing the cabinet said that they have started procurement of wheat from April 1, 2021. The minister said that more than 60 percent of the crop has been harvested in the districts of the lower Sindh, however a quantity of 6,333.850 MT of wheat has been procured so far.
Mr Hari Rajm said that the policy guidelines for wheat procurement campaign were causing delay in procurement, therefore he proposed the cabinet to waive the condition of producing agriculture pass book/form 7. He added that the waiver would attract the grower to get bardana from food department procurement centers.
The provincial government was offering an attractive price of Rs2000 per maud, therefore the growers were not only very happy but inclined to sell their production to the provincial government.
The cabinet approved the proposal of the food department and waived the condition of producing pass book or Form-IV for getting bardana and also allowed the food department to purchase additional 2600 bales of pp bags.
Appeal in SC: The chief minister told the cabinet meeting that the high court of Sindh 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.
Mr Shah said that these employees were appointed in 2008. The cabinet after thorough discussions and deliberations approved a proposal to file an appeal in the Supreme Court against the decision of the high court.
Zakat dept: Minister for Zakat and Usher Sohail Anwar Siyal told the cabinet that Justice (retd) Ghulam Sarwar Korie was appointed as chairman Sindh Zakat Council for a period of three years, Nov 2018 to 2021 has resigned. On his request the cabinet approved the resignation and appointed Justice (retd) Mohammad Iqbal Mahar as chairman for the remaining period.
The cabinet also appointed Dr Mufti Haq-u-Nabi Al-Azhari as member of the zakat council.
The cabinet also approved an amendment in the Zakat and Ushr Act 2011 under which a retired judge of high court or a retired civil servant in BS-20 to above as Chairman Zakat Council.
Earlier, only a retired high court judge could have been appointed as Chairman Zakat Council.
Purchase of Motorcycles: The Livestock department told the cabinet that the province of Sindh was maintaining 44.782 million head of animals and was leading production center. Despite huge numbers of livestock, per animal production is very low as compared to other developing countries and that is mainly affected due to poor genetic potential.
The cabinet was told that pro – poor Social Protection and Economic Sustainability Initiative programme – the core activity was to improve genetic potential through artificial Insemination (AI) of high yielding exotic and indigenous breeds. All the activities of the program would be carried out through existing technical staff of animal breeding through the province.
The cabinet was told that 120 motorcycles were required for technical staff. The cabinet approved the proposal and sanctioned an amount of Rs238 million for purchase of motorcycles and other equipment.
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.
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 chief minister said that he has accorded approval for the release of Rs.178.373 million, during 2020-21 for HMRRU. The Sub-Committee o 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 amount has been released.
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).