PHOTO: REUTERS
Presiding over a high-level meeting of Ease of Doing Business Reforms Council, he said, "I am fed up with sub-registrar offices so either correct them or pack them up, I will hand over the registration work to private sector."
The chief minister especially invited heads of 10 different government agencies, including K-Electric, Karachi Water and Sewerage Board, among others, so they could give their input to improve the business environment.
"I have to bring a lot of investment in Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, Mirpurkhas and Thatta regions," he said, adding that he was willing to take drastic measures to facilitate investors.
Senior member Board of Revenue (SMBR) admitted that registration of property and its transfer take from 149 days to six months, therefore an online application was needed where people would be able to apply for registration and the system would automatically generate transfer or registration.
At this, the chief minister directed him to reduce the processing time from six months to six days, adding that he was going to launch the online application by the end of February.
Shah directed the SMBR to outsource the board's call centre, which has failed to redress public complaints. "We need an efficient system and manpower, otherwise ask them to pack up," he directed SMBR.
Also speaking on the occasion, investment secretary gave a detailed briefing on issues such as red-tapism, lethargy and inefficiency of the government system.
The chief minister announced that the SMBR would launch an online application and appoint two sub-registrars on special duty who would deal with and expedite the registration, transfer and mutation cases, which lingered on by the concerned sub-registrar for more than three days. It was also decided that e-stamping system would be launched at the earliest by amending the law in the assembly.
Shah said that over 200 multinational companies were working in Karachi and he wanted to provide them more facilities so that businesses could thrive further.
The chief minister also directed the chief secretary to personally monitor the simplification of trade licences. "These licences must be issued within 15 days."
It was decided to convert low-risk trade licences into notification without any fees. "It must be consolidated so that one licence could operate across Sindh," said the chief minister. He further directed online application, renewal and payment of licence fee totally automated.
The meeting agreed that the council would meet every month so that all the outstanding issues could be resolved at the highest forum.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 9th, 2020.
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