KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah presiding over Cabinet meeting decided various important agenda items including constitution of Provincial Finance Commission, establishment of Larkano General University, import of 500,000 MT wheat and maintaining of fares of Intra-district Peoples Bus Service for next six month. 

Sindh ministers, advisors, special assistants, Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput, Chairman P&D Hassan Naqvi and PSCM Fayaz Jatoi attended meeting. Cabinet 69 agenda items of them 58 items were discussed and decided and remaining would be taken up in next Cabinet meeting likely to be held on Saturday.

Cabinet approved Provincial Finance Commission to recommend resource distribution formula to government. PFC would also give recommendations for distribution of resources between government and councils out of proceeds of provincial consolidated fund into provincial retained amount and provincial allocable amount called Provincial Finance Commission Award.

Chairman of PFC shall be Sindh Chief Minister/Minister Finance Syed Murad Ali Shah, co-Chairman Local Government Minister Nasir Shah, two members of assembly, Mayor KMC, Mayor Sukkur, Mayor District Council Tando Mohammad Khan, Chairman Municipal Committee Umerkot and Chairman Korangi Town. Minister Transport Sharjeel Memon told Cabinet that People Bus Service Project as conceived has suffered prompt change in costs due to rise in fuel prices. Sindh Mass Transit Authority showing concerns that they are sustaining huge financial operational losses as compared to agreed rates/costs in 2021 and that fares have not been revised as yet.

Food department told Cabinet that they have procured 900,000 MT of wheat against target of 1.4 MT, therefore there was shortfall of 500,000 MT. CM directed Food department to invite private sector to import 500,000 MT of wheat.

Finance department told Cabinet that Directorate of Accounts (Inspection), Sindh was established in 1975. Functions of directorate gradually changed especially after introduction of SAP system and conversion of Treasury Offices in District Accounts Offices.   Cabinet after discussion decided to wind up directorate by sending its employees to surplus pool set up in finance department for further posting.

Cabinet has directed Excise and Taxation Department to replace registration books of Motor Vehicles Registration Books with Security Featured MVR cards. Minister Excise Mukesh Chawla told that his department has started issuing cards and in phases, all registration books would be replaced with cards that were easy to carry and had all security features.

Cabinet also discussed and approved Khairpur Special Economic Zone Management Committee request to allow them to adop Karachi Building and Town Planning Regulations for Industrial and Commercial units, allotment of 2767.27 acres of land in Deh Chuhar, District Malir in favour of Investment Department of Sindh government at 50 percent of market price for education purposes, Teach World Foundation a not-for-profit organization and approved as pilot project of 18 months for Rs 710 million through SEF.

Cabinet approved Quaid-e-Awam University of Engineering, Science and Technology, College Campus Larkano, Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Sindh Agriculture College Dokri, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Law College and Sindh University Campus into university.

Published in The Daily National Courier, July, 20 2023

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