Sindh’s demand: ‘Hand over the money with the departments’

Raza Rabbani discusses devolution process with Qaim Ali Shah.

KARACHI: The Sindh government has asked the federal government to hand over assets and projects of the departments which are being transferred to it. This was discussed at a meeting between Federal Minister for Inter-provincial Coordination Raza Rabbani and Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah at CM House on Monday.

They are said to have discussed financial implications, properties, assets and liabilities involved in the devolution of departments under the 18th Amendment.

According to sources, the chief minister said that the provincial government was already hobbled by financial burdens because of limited resources. Devolving federal departments without adequate funds would just compound provincial government’s problems, he added.

Rabbani said that five departments – local bodies, rural development, Zakat and ushr, special initiatives and youth affairs – were given to the provinces in December. Five others, education, tourism, social welfare, culture and health, would be devolved by March this year. The devolution process would be completed by June 30.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Social Welfare Minister Nargis ND Khan said that welfare projects funded by national and international donors are carried out in the provinces. “We are ready to accept the responsibility but we should get the funds so that we can run the projects properly,” she said.

“After rightsizing the federal cabinet, the provincial government is also going to resize its cabinet within a few days. Many ministries, which were bifurcated, might be merged again.

Price control

Participants also discussed joint strategies which the provincial and federal governments could devise to control prices.

Sources said that Shah told the federal minister that magisterial powers would be given to revenue officials. The provincial government has already forwarded its recommendations in connection to this to the federal law minister, asking for legislation. “We have consulted with all coalition partners and the revival of the magistrate system would definitely prove to be beneficial,” the chief minister was quoted to have said.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 15^th, 2011.