Health projects given top priority

CM tells officials to speed up development work

KARACHI:

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has directed the works and services department to expedite work on 36 development schemes of the health department so that they could be completed by June 2022.

"These are schemes of expansion of existing hospitals and some new facilities. They must be completed in time for public interest."

He said this on Saturday while presiding over a meeting to review the development portfolio of the health sector. The meeting was attended by Minister Health Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, PSCM Fayaz Jatoi, Secretary Finance Sajid Jamal Abro, Secretary Health Zulfikar Shah, Special Secretary to CM Rahim Shaikh, Secretary Works Imran Atta Soomro, Adl Secretary Finance Shuhab Ansari and other concerned officers.

The chief minister was told that 171 schemes have been launched in the health sector for Rs18.4 billion. Of these, 96 schemes of Rs11.3 billion were ongoing, while 75 were new at a cost of Rs7 billion.

It was disclosed that the government had released Rs7.8 billion for 96 ongoing schemes and the utilidation is recorded at Rs3.1 billion. Similarly, Rs3.35 billion have been released for 75 new schemes and the utilization is Rs1.17 billion.

The chief minister said that he released 60 per cent of the allocated amount, but the utilisation shows only 29 percent of the released funds. The health department officials pointed out that out of 75 new schemes, 27 have been approved and work has started on them.

The P&D approved 16 schemes and their advice has been issued, while 23 were the under process of approvals from provincial and federal forums. The PC-I of 25 schemes is under process. It was pointed out that the key challenges for delay in completion of schemes was dollar-rupee parity and imposition of 20 per cent GST, all of which had escalated the cost of schemes.

The chief minister directed the P&D and Finance department to resolve the issues of cost escalation of the schemes. He also directed the works department to take necessary measures to complete 36 schemes by June 2022.

ADP schemes

Meanwhile, Sindh Minister for Labor and Human Resource Saeed Ghani ordered the completion of all schemes under the Annual Development Plan within the stipulated time, while maintaining the quality of work.

Ghani, while chairing a meeting to review the progress of ongoing development schemes in District East Karachi, also sought a detailed report on the progress within seven days. He said that there would be no compromise on quality of development work.

In case of substandard or defective work, cases would be filed in the anti-corruption establishment against the contractor and officers concerned. "Our aim is to provide facilities to the people and all officers should work devotedly for achieving the the set goal," Saeed Ghani said.

He called for maintaining close coordination with elected representatives of the area as well. The provincial minister was informed that work was underway on 28 ADP schemes in District East Karachi. The meeting was attended by Special Secretary Local Government Abdul Razzaq Junejo, Administrator East Rehmatullah Sheikh and officers of local government, KDA , DMC East, Water Board and other agencies.

*WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM APP

 

Published in The Express Tribune, May 29^th, 2022.