Sindh Cabinet approves Rs4bn to extend relief to affected people of flood 2020

KARACHI: The Sindh cabinet has approved disbursement of relief grant worth Rs 4.021 billion for the affected people of monsoon-2020, through mobile banking system.

“This will help the affected people to receive cash on showing their original Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) to the mobile bank without going into the process of opening a bank account.”

This was stated by Sindh Chief Minister while presiding over the cabinet meeting here at CM House on Tuesday.

The meeting was attended by all the provincial ministers, advisors, chief secretary and concerned officers.

The cabinet was told that after analyzing the pros and cons of various alternative modalities and mechanisms, the Board of Revenue, Finance department and Social Protection Unit were in consonance that the disbursement of relief grant may be made through mobile banking by inviting technical and financial proposal from various telecommunication companies/banks/consortia.

There are 103 injured persons and each one would get Rs 25,000, the owners of fully damaged pacca, house Rs20,000 and Rs10,000 to fully damaged katcha and pacca houses, Rs 5000 partially damaged katcha house, Rs 10,000 loss of cattle and Rs 2000 loss of goat/sheep/donkey. The amount of the total relief assistance came to Rs 4.021 billion.

The cabinet approved the proposal and granted exemption to the BoR from SPPRA Rules.

The Board of Revenue presented another proposal requesting the cabinet to approve establishment of Anti-Encroachment Police station for District Tharparkar.

The cabinet was told that after installation of power plants and establishment of coal mining the lands of Tharparkar have achieved highest value, as a result the issues of encroachments were cropping up day by day.

The cabinet was told that the BOR has 18 anti-encroachment police in 18 districts and now they would establish 19th police station in Tharparksr, if the proposal was approved.

The cabinet approved the establishment of Anti-Encroachment Police station in Tharparkar and also approved Rs 6.5 million for purchase of motorcycles, one pick up, furniture, computer and other office equipment.

The school education department presented recruitment policy of teaching and non-teaching staff through third party.

Some of the cabinet members raised the objection on different positions/categories of teachers such as JST, PST, HST and subject specialists.

The cabinet members were of the view that there should be only two categories, primary and secondary. Since the government was offering best salary packages, therefore best teachers or highly qualified teachers should be appointed by offering only two positions with specific education and weightage should be given to the extra-ordinary qualified candidates.

The chief minister with the approval of cabinet constituted a committee comprising two former education ministers, Nisar Khuhro and Syed Sardar Shah and sitting education minister Saeed Ghani to review the recruitment policy and submit their report within 15 days.

It may be noted that there were 30,000 positions of primary teachers and 7000 of secondary teachers were vacant in the school education department.

The Labour department presented amendments in two different sections of SESSI ACT to create provision for issuance of Benazir Mazdoor Card to ensure the workers and to allow self-employed workers to contribute in SESSI and get him/herself registered to be eligible for all the benefits .

The cabinet approved the proposal of universalization of Social Security in the province.

The Agriculture department presented an agenda requesting the cabinet to allow the department to create its Works Unit to construct its building such as Markets etc on its own.

The department said that it has a number of engineering involved in lining the water courses and conduits.

The education department has also been allowed to establish its Education Works wing which was working smoothly.

At this the chief minister constituted a three-member committee comprising Sr Advisor Works Nisar Khuhro, Minister Agriculture Ismail rahu and Secretary Finance to review the proposal and submit the report.

It may be noted that at present the Works & Services dept is responsible to construct the buildings and roads of other departments.

The home department requested the cabinet to approve the corporation of Shaheed, Deceased & Ghazi quota in Police Rules called Sindh Police Family Claim Rules-2020.

The cabinet was told that the post of ASI is filled through SPSC, while under the deceased quota it has to be filled directly, therefore a provision in the Rules may be created so that the deceased, Shaheed and Ghazi quota request could be entertained.

The cabinet constituted a committee under ACS Home Usman Chachar, Secretary Services, Secretary Law and representative of IG Police to review the rules and different judgements of the high and supreme courts and submit their recommendations in the next meeting.

The cabinet was told that Zohaib Rehman brother of prisoners, Junaid Rehman son of Abdul Rehman Ansari confined in Central Jail, Karachi had filed Constitutional Petition (CP) before high court, Karachi praying therein for grant of Education Remission in favour of the convicted prisoner.

Under the Rules, “a convicted prisoner who has already passed any examination specified in the rules may appear in any one of the said examinations in an academic year, and shall on passing such examination be entitled to earn remission.”

The cabinet was told that the prisoners had passed Qur’an Nazra in first position for which he was eligible to have three months remission.

He has passed Adeeb Sindh in first division BSE Karachi in first division which eligible him for 10-month remission.He has passed HSC from BIE Karachi in 2nd division which makes him eligible for six-month remission. He has passed Adeeb Urdu in first position from BSE Karachi that eligible him of 10 months remission and he has also qualified B.Com in First position from Karachi University which again eligible him for 10 month remission.

The petitioner prays that as the prisoners was awarded conviction under Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 hence educational remissions could not be granted to him on account of interpretation of amendment in Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 in 2013.

He further prays that the prisoner was convicted in 2005 prior to introduction of the amendment in 2013, therefore he may be granted educational remission.

The chief minister said that he had visited the Central Prison where the prisoner Junaid had given him a fabulous presentation in the technical center of the prison.

The chief minister said the prisoner has already languished in jail for 15 year, therefore he might be qualifying for bail/release.

The chief minister said that the imprisonment was meant for `correction’ which seemed to have already taken place in the prisoner who has qualified different examinations in distinction.

He constituted a committee comprising Minister Education Saeed Ghani, Advisor law Murtaza Wahab and Advisor Jails Aijaz Jakharni to visit the prisoner in the jail and submit their recommendations on human and legal grounds in the next cabinet meeting.

The cabinet after thorough discussion decided to transfer all the Darul Aman & Safe House from the Social Welfare Department to the Women Development Department.

The chief minister directed the chief secretary to review the functions of the Women Development Department and social Welfare department and if they are identical then both departments may be merged together.