Sindh govt to increase wheat support price

Also decides to purchase 37% of the total wheat produce of each district

KARACHI: Keeping in view the rise in the prices of materials used in the production of wheat, Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Syed Murad Ali Shah deemed it of significance to increase the support price of wheat, while presiding over a Sindh cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

The CM also suggested that the Sindh government purchased 37% of the total wheat produce of each district so that the benefits of increasing the support prices could be passed on to the farmers. However, he maintained that the provincial government would announce the new support price only after the federal government announced the revised support price.  The cabinet agreed to his suggestions.

Following this, the cabinet was apprised that the a jute bag cost considerably more than a polypropylene (PP) bag of wheat, and hence, the it was decided that 80% of the wheat procured to overcome the crisis would be that contained in PP bags.

At the previous meeting, the cabinet had conceded to procuring 1.4 million tonnes of wheat for the 2019-2020 crop season, in the wake of the wheat crisis. The government has allocated Rs38 million for procuring this amount, while it needs additional Rs53.4 million to complete the purchase. Hence, the cabinet approved the release Rs15.4 billion, to facilitate the procurement of wheat.

Coronavirus 

Besides, Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho told the cabinet that 300 persons arriving from China- where the coronovirus originated- landed at the Jinnah International Airport on Monday night. She, however, assured that the Chinese citizens were screened by healthcare authorities in China before they were given clearance to travel to Pakistan and were also examined by the health department officials after they reached Karachi.

"Doctors and ambulances were also stationed at the airport," she shared with cabinet members, adding that a minor from among the Chinese passengers had attempted to run away from the airport but he was soon caught and admitted to the Gambat Institute of Medical Sciences.

She said that in order to deal with the threat of coronavirus, isolation wards were set up at all major hospitals of Karachi.

Delay in funds transfer

The CM informed the cabinet that Sindh was to receive funds adding up to Rs835 billion from the Centre in the current fiscal year. However, the province has only received Rs359 billion, against Rs487 billion supposed to be transferred during the first seven months, and faces a shortfall of Rs128 billion, he added.

IGP's transfer

Speaking on the issue of Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) Syed Kaleem Imam's transfer, the CM maintained that he had conveyed to Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan that he was ready to brief the federal cabinet on the matter but discussing it with the governor was "unreasonable".

He said the PM had told him that the federal cabinet had expressed reservations on the issue of IGP's transfers and that the CM may reach a final decision after consulting the governor.

"I told the PM that the matter had become controversial and it would be unreasonable to involve the governor," he iterated. "However, I am ready to brief the federal cabinet if the PM desires so."

He said the PM had apprised him that the federal cabinet had agreed to IGP's transfer but was uncertain about names proposed to replace him.

The cabinet members, however, stressed that the CM had proposed seven names as IGP's replacements, after the cabinet's approval, and the new IGP should be chosen from among them.

Purchase of school furniture

On the request of the education department, the matter of the purchase of furniture for schools was also brought to the table.

The cabinet directed the education department to purchase furniture in accordance with the requirement of each school and details of the furniture bought for a certain school should be made available on the school's website. The department was given the go ahead to purchase furniture for schools facing a shortage or complete lack of furniture.

Moreover, the department was instructed to ensure that the schools were maintained properly and any repair work required at any of the schools was carried out duly. The education department was asked to utilise funds allocated for the repair and maintenance of schools for the purpose.

Reflecting on the matter, the CM said, "There are over 45,000 schools in the province… and they must be maintained properly."

Reimbursement of medical expenses

It was also suggested during the meeting that the amount reimbursed to government employees on account of medical expenses be increased. The amount is to be increased from Rs300,000 to Rs3 million. Reimbursement of up to Rs1 million is to be approved by the secretary of the relevant department, that within the range of Rs1 billion and Rs2 billion by the chief secretary and that exceeding Rs2 billion by the CM.

Stamp Act

Later in the meeting, the Sindh Revenue Board (SBR) proposed an amendment in the Stamp Act, 1988, so as to introduce electronically-generated stamps (e-stamps) and other documents and to give them legal cover.

Speaking on the matter, the CM said that SBR collected Rs9.9 billion last year and it has set a target of Rs15 billion for itself this year. He opined that the revenue collection was to increase manifolds following the introduction of e-stamps and electronically-generated documents.

"They will not need to be signed, bearing a bar code that will be scanned and verified," he explained.

The cabinet approved the amendment and referred it to the assembly.

Posthumous promotion

The cabinet was told that Aijaz Hussain, a BS-19 officer in the prison department, was killed by a proscribed organisation in 2015. His son, Shaheed Aijaz, has requested the CM to promote his father to the post of Prison DIG, equivalent to the rank of BS-20 officers. The cabinet, under the Shaheed Recognition Act, approved the posthumous promotion.

Khuli Kachehris

Drawing the meeting to a close, the CM directed the cabinet members to hold open court sessions in the last week of February in various districts. He also sought a detailed report from the chief secretary on the implementation of directives issued by the cabinet members at previous sessions.

The meeting was attended by Sindh Chief Secretary Mumtaz Ali Shah, all cabinet members, advisers to the CM and relevant officers. 

Published in The Express Tribune, February 5^th, 2020.