Sindh cabinet approves nine projects worth Rs58 billion

KARACHI: The Sindh government on Tuesday approved funds for development and public works projects worth Rs 58 billion. 

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah chaired a meeting of the provincial cabinet attended by provincial ministers, advisors, special assistants, Additional Chief Secretary Home, Chairman P&D, and other concerned officers.

On the direction of Chief Minister Sindh, the P&D Department has proposed to establish a Unified Identification Number (UID) barcode for development schemes. At present, every Annual Development Project (ADP) scheme has a number that changes every year. The meeting approved creation of ADP with UID code from the new year.

Sindh Cabinet approved Rs58 billion for nine different projects on public-private partnership mode. This includes Rs4.3 billion for Maripur Expressway, Rs5 billion for Korangi Link Road, Rs7.32 billion for Karachi Hub Water Canal, and Rs440 million for Children’s Hospital, North Karachi. It also approved Rs13.1 billion for Malir Expressway and Rs6.8 billion for Ghotki-Kandhkot bridge.

Discussing the amendment in the Pension Rules 1963, the chief minister said that at present an employee can retire after 25 years of service. The meeting proposed that an employee can retire after either 25 years or after 55 years of age.

The meeting also decided to reduce the age the children of a deceased civil servant to receive pension from 24 to 21 years. With the amendment in the pension law, pension will be provided to employees on time and resolve problems faced by pensioners.

The Sindh Cabinet approved the appointment of Professor Syed Jamal Raza as Executive Director, Sindh Institute of Child Health and Neonatology (SICHN) for a period of three years.

Sindh Cabinet also approved Sindh Physiotherapy Council Act 2022 to regulate physiotherapy education The meeting was informed that there are 52 institutes in the province offering 5-year physiotherapy programs.

The cabinet also approved the immediate release of Rs4 billion for National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD). The meeting was informed that the cardiology institute was given lesser funds in for two years between 2017-2018 and 2019-2020.