Cabinet approves grant for PBS

The Sindh cabinet approved Rs521 million for fuel indexation of Intra-district Bus Service and Rs5.027 million for JS Academy for the Deaf. Additionally, they decided to launch the Kissan Card to support peasants.

Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, presiding over the meeting, emphasized the implementation of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's instructions to issue Kissan Cards and promote development in every district. A committee will be formed to implement the party's election manifesto, focusing on the chairman's ten-point agenda. The meeting, held at CM House, was attended by provincial ministers, advisors, and officials.

The Kissan Cards will be issued to farmers benefiting from government programs, with a digital platform being developed to collect farmers' details, including demographics, contact information, crops, landholding, livestock, and irrigation systems. This initiative aims to ensure proper allocation of schemes, efficient communication, and centralized data management.

Cardholders will receive priority in wheat procurement and disaster relief. A committee comprising the minister of irrigation, senior member board of revenue and secretary of agriculture was tasked with developing data and submitting recommendations. The survey and registration for Kissan Cards, available to farmers with up to 12 acres of land, will commence within a week for issuance within six months.

Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon informed the meeting that the project to supply, operate and maintenance for the Sindh Intra-District People's Bus Service was awarded to National Radio & Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC) in October 2021 for a term of 12 years, maturing in October 2033.

As many as 230 buses are operational and an additional 40 buses have also been added to the fleet under a government-to-government (G2G) initiative between the Sindh government and NRTC. He added that it was the first ever Intra City Public Transport Project operating in Mixed Traffic, particularly in Karachi and other cities of the province including Larkana, Hyderabad and Sukkur.

He said that the NRTC has requested the Sindh Mass Transit Authority for the release of payment of fuel indexations from January to June 24.

The cabinet was informed that in order to ensure the smooth operations of the PBS, an amount of Rs820. 996 million was required from Jan-Jun 2024.

Sharjeel said that Rs300 million, already kept in the account as Grant-in Aid for Fuel Indexation (one time) during the current financial year 2023-24, may be released and the remaining amount of Rs521 million may be released for the project to cover fuel indexation for Jan-Jun 2024 period. The cabinet approved the amount of Rs521 million for the purpose.

The cabinet was informed that the JS Academy offers free education, from grade one to postgraduate level, to deaf students, providing empowerment initiatives. Courses and training include sign language, audiometry, computer skills, music, art classes, healthcare, physical education, social skills, transportation, counseling, and library access, as explained by Secretary DEPD Tuaha Farooqi.

Registered by relevant education departments, the academy currently enrolls 152 students (81 male, 71 female) and employs 24 staff (6 male, 18 female). Facing an annual shortfall of Rs10.747 million, the DEPD requested a Rs5.027 million grant from the chief minister, drawing from a budgeted allocation of Rs1,000 million for such institutions. The cabinet approved the grant for JS Academy.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 21^st, 2024.