Aftermath 18th: Amendment Sindh to ask federal govt to cut the cord finally
The province has refused to pay the excessive bills charged by various power utility companies in the province.
Sindh will ask for the funds given to these institutions, and shares in major state-owned oil and gas companies, Karachi Port and Port Qasim Authority.
KARACHI:
The Sindh government has decided to ask the federal government handover the institutions remaining with the Centre after the 18th Amendment, The Express Tribune has learnt.
Sindh will ask for the funds given to these institutions, and shares in major state-owned oil and gas companies, Karachi Port and Port Qasim Authority.
"After the 18th Amendment, labour and Zakat subjects have been transferred to the provinces but the collections are still being made by the federal government," pointed out Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, while presiding over a meeting to discuss issues pending with the Council of Common Interests (CCI) on Friday. "The Sindh government is efficient enough to collect the Employees Old-age Benefit Institution's contribution and the Zakat fund and utilise them for the betterment of the workers in the province."
Refusal to pay electricity bills
The province has refused to pay the excessive bills charged by various power utility companies in the province. The participants of the meeting expressed their concern over the 'unjustified' electricity liabilities against Sindh government, which according to them are projected by the Water and Power Development Authority.
"The provincial government will neither pay the assessment bills made by the meter readers on their own nor will it accept at-source deduction from Sindh's share in the divisible pool," said Shah. He suggested forming a committee to reconcile the billing issue in an equitable manner. "The Sindh government wants to pay genuine electric bills for which the budgetary provision has been raised from Rs9.5 billion to Rs26 billion," he added.
Shares in oil, gas companies
The meeting also discussed the Balochistan government's demand to purchase 20% shares in state-owned oil and gas companies under Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan, which will be presented on the upcoming CCI meeting on May 26. The Sindh government will also come up with a similar plan if the Centre approves Balochistan's demands.
The spokesperson of Chief Minister House said that the amendments made by the Balochistan government in the Gwadar Port Authority Act also came under discussion. After the amendments, the chairmanship of the port has been given to Balochistan along with 50% membership of the board of governors. The Sindh government will also plead for similar privilege for Karachi Port and Qasim Port Authority, the spokesman said.
Sixth population and housing census
The participants of the meeting recommended holding the sixth population and housing census in September or October this year or March, next year, after consulting major stakeholders.
On the permanent absorption of federal employees transferred to the provincial government after the 18th Amendment in the Constitution, the chief minister made it clear that Sindh government will not absorb the employees appointed after the amendment. "Only those old employees working in the departments devolved to the provinces will be accepted," he said.
The participants opposed the proposal to amend the Indus River System Authority to compensate Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa for the water it had not received or utilised due to a lack of infrastructure. They said that there is no provision of compensation in the water apportionment accord of 1991.
Sindh has always been experiencing an acute shortage of Water and not receiving its due share for a long time, said Shah.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 24th, 2014.
The Sindh government has decided to ask the federal government handover the institutions remaining with the Centre after the 18th Amendment, The Express Tribune has learnt.
Sindh will ask for the funds given to these institutions, and shares in major state-owned oil and gas companies, Karachi Port and Port Qasim Authority.
"After the 18th Amendment, labour and Zakat subjects have been transferred to the provinces but the collections are still being made by the federal government," pointed out Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, while presiding over a meeting to discuss issues pending with the Council of Common Interests (CCI) on Friday. "The Sindh government is efficient enough to collect the Employees Old-age Benefit Institution's contribution and the Zakat fund and utilise them for the betterment of the workers in the province."
Refusal to pay electricity bills
The province has refused to pay the excessive bills charged by various power utility companies in the province. The participants of the meeting expressed their concern over the 'unjustified' electricity liabilities against Sindh government, which according to them are projected by the Water and Power Development Authority.
"The provincial government will neither pay the assessment bills made by the meter readers on their own nor will it accept at-source deduction from Sindh's share in the divisible pool," said Shah. He suggested forming a committee to reconcile the billing issue in an equitable manner. "The Sindh government wants to pay genuine electric bills for which the budgetary provision has been raised from Rs9.5 billion to Rs26 billion," he added.
Shares in oil, gas companies
The meeting also discussed the Balochistan government's demand to purchase 20% shares in state-owned oil and gas companies under Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan, which will be presented on the upcoming CCI meeting on May 26. The Sindh government will also come up with a similar plan if the Centre approves Balochistan's demands.
The spokesperson of Chief Minister House said that the amendments made by the Balochistan government in the Gwadar Port Authority Act also came under discussion. After the amendments, the chairmanship of the port has been given to Balochistan along with 50% membership of the board of governors. The Sindh government will also plead for similar privilege for Karachi Port and Qasim Port Authority, the spokesman said.
Sixth population and housing census
The participants of the meeting recommended holding the sixth population and housing census in September or October this year or March, next year, after consulting major stakeholders.
On the permanent absorption of federal employees transferred to the provincial government after the 18th Amendment in the Constitution, the chief minister made it clear that Sindh government will not absorb the employees appointed after the amendment. "Only those old employees working in the departments devolved to the provinces will be accepted," he said.
The participants opposed the proposal to amend the Indus River System Authority to compensate Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa for the water it had not received or utilised due to a lack of infrastructure. They said that there is no provision of compensation in the water apportionment accord of 1991.
Sindh has always been experiencing an acute shortage of Water and not receiving its due share for a long time, said Shah.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 24th, 2014.