KARACHI, Dec 26 (APP): The Sindh cabinet on Tuesday approved several financial allocations for various development projects, including Rs. 29.379 billion for the payment of government electricity bills, Rs. 768.6 million for the operation of 50 electric buses on the city roads and a subsidy of Rs. 579.756 million for intra-district people’s buses.
Additionally, the cabinet also approved Rs. 1.1 billion for the construction of a Link Road Interchange, Rs. 33.956 million for Khirthar National Park boundary demarcation and fixing of boundary pillars, Rs. 1424.720 million for the reconstruction of three West district schools, and Rs. 115 million for the restoration of the Hindu Gymkhana.
The meeting was chaired by Caretaker Chief Minister Justice (R) Maqbool Baqar at CM House. Provincial caretaker ministers, Chief Secretary Dr Fakhre Alam, Chairman P&D Sahkil Mangnejo and other concerned officers attended the meeting.
Chief Secretary Dr Fakhre Alam told the cabinet that an amount of Rs 300 million (Rs10 million to each of all 30 DCs), may be provided to all the Returning Officers and Deputy Commissioners for election expenditures. In case of any shortfall, further funds may also be provided separately, on a case-to-case basis.
The cabinet also approved an amount of Rs168 million to be given to deputy commissioners to clear the old liabilities of the local bodies elections.
The cabinet was told that a central payment process against all the Sindh government electric connections throughout the province started in 2019. A lump sum budget was being fixed for payments every year. However, due to continuous increases in electricity prices and increases in Sindh government connections, the allocated budget of Rs 41.5 billion is insufficient.
The Energy dept said that against an allocated budget of Rs 41.5 billion, they have paid Rs 35.736 billion to HESCO, SEPCO and KE up to September 2023 and now they were left with only Rs 5.764 billion which was hardly enough for one and half months of electricity charges.
The cabinet was told that the current monthly electricity charges on average come to Rs 5300 million and for the next 8 months of the current financial year, 2023-24, an amount of Rs 42400 million [5300X8= 42400 million] would be required up to June 2024.
The cabinet after deliberation, approved an amount of Rs 29.376 billion so that power distribution companies could make the power bills of the Sindh government up to April 2024.
The Cabinet was told that the provincial transport department has initiated the Electric Bus Service, being operated by Telephone Industries of Pakistan (TIP) under a Rent to Own Model. Currently, 40 of the 50 buses have been put into operation on three routes in Karachi, with 10 buses on standby. TIP has requested the provincial government to formalize contractual commitments with them for the operational Electric Buses, as well as an investment proposal. The project includes the supply and operation of Electric buses, the development of a Green Energy Facility, and the development of Assembly Kit Plants for EVs in Sindh.
TIP has proposed a ‘Rent to Own Financial Model’ for the supply, operation, and maintenance of Electric Buses, along with EV Charging, Depot Infrastructure, and Alternative Energy Production. Under this model, TIP will invest 100% of the funds required to supply and operate EV buses and charge the public transport passengers ticket prices to be mutually agreed upon. The Sindh government will have to provide a monthly lease payment (rent to own) as agreed between the parties on a per-bus basis to TIP for lease, operations, and maintenance of public transport for eight years.
The monthly payment for nine meters Electric Buses is $ 3,350 and for 12 meters, it is $ 4,500. The ownership of the buses would be transferred to the Sindh Government after eight years of bus operations. The cabinet has approved Rs. 768.6 million per annum for 50 Electric Buses (215/per km x 50 x 71500) for eight years, inclusive of O&M and lease payments.
Additionally, the cabinet has approved Rs. 200 million to engage reputed consultants for technical, financial, and legal evaluation of TIP Electric Buses’ proposal with budgetary allocations up to Rs. 200 million.
The transport department proposed to increase the fare of BRT Green Line (from Rs15 to 30 and Rs 55 to Rs 70) and Intra-District Peoples Bus Service which the caretaker chief minister turned down. The cabinet was told that the BRT Green Line would be handed over to the Sindh government in 2024.
The Cabinet was told that under Peoples Bus Service, 204 buses in Karachi (36 in Hyderabad and Larkana) were plying on 13 routes, including two routes of Pink Buses.
The transport department proposed an extension of ongoing subsidy for another six months, Jan 24 to June 24, and the addition of 30 new buses would increase the ridership of 12000 more passengers per day which would transform into an additional subsidy of Rs 86.4 million (Jan 24 to June 24) on the previous grounds at Rs.40/per passenger, therefore funds amounting to Rs 579.756 million may be provided as subsidy from the outside budget. The cabinet approved the subsidy.
The cabinet was informed that the Link Road dual carriageway connects the National Highway (N5) to the Motorway (m9). It is a commercial corridor providing upcountry access to the traffic from Port Qasim, Industrial area Landhi, Korangi and Steel Mill. It is a 22 km long carriageway.
The Sindh cabinet, in August 2023, approved the construction of the interchange along with the remodelling of the Kathore Interchange by NHA through SCORE at Rs 2.4 billion. While in October NHA provided an estimated cost of Rs 3.5 billion.
The cabinet after discussion approved the balance amount of Rs 1.1 billion along with land compensation of Rs 250 million.
The Sindh cabinet approved additional funds of Rs.135.85 million for the Reimbursement of Medical Charges for the 465 cases of the School Education department.
The cabinet also approved additional funds of Rs.1424.720 million for financial assistance to the 1800 families of deceased employees who died while in Service.
The cabinet also approved Rs. 50.220 million for the repair and maintenance of three school buildings in District West, Karachi. These three schools have been adopted by the Pakistan Navy.
The Agriculture Department approved Rs 4.012 billion for 52,800 MMTs of Urea imported by the TCP/federal government. The CM said that there was a shortage of urea in the market and the growers complained to him during his visits to Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas and Sukkur.
The Sindh cabinet expressed reservations that the province was producing 70 per cent of the total national gas even then it was being forced to procure imported urea. The cabinet urged the federal government to provide urea to Sindh as per its share.
The cabinet was told that the Hindu Gymkhana was established in 1925 on a plot of 47000 square yards. Before Independence, it was a club for the Hindu Upper classes.
The Hindu Gymkhana is a beautiful amalgamation of Mughal Revival and Colonial Era style. This historic building is widely considered an architectural gen in Karachi.
Key architectural elements are cupolas, balustrades, octagonal corner towers, ornamental brackets, Gizri stone walls, and Jodhpur Stone’s carved elements.
It has suffered terribly and the building exterior has been eaten away by pollution and dust. Due to leakage from the top of the roof, rising dampness, salinity and weathering the condition of the building is deteriorating. The building has grown feeble, its retrofitting does not go along with the building’s architecture. Therefore, a project may be prepared to restore the Gymkhana.
The cabinet was told that on the directives of the caretaker chief minister, the cost analysis of the project has been reviewed and reduced to Rs109.680 million from the earlier proposed amount of Rs. 115.716 million. The cabinet approved Rs109.680 million.
On the request of the people of Hala, the cabinet decided to hand over the newly constructed Rural health Centre Hala Old to PPHI and approved Rs 40 million, including Rs 15 million for salary, Rs 15 million for non-salary component and Rs 10 million one time development cost.
The CM said that he has visited several PPHI centres but none of them was working at its full staff strength. He ordered a forensic audit and inspection of PPHI centres.
The cabinet was told that Khirthar National Park was the first ever National Park of Pakistan declared in 1974. The adjacent areas Mahal Kohistan, and Hab Dam are Wildlife Sanctuaries and Sumbak, Eri, Hothiano and Surjano are Game Reserves. Therefore, Khirthar National Park, and Wildlife Sanctuary Game Reserves make a complex called Khirthar Protected Area Complex (KPAC), comprising 1407.25 sq. miles.
Sindh High Court has directed the Sindh govt to ensure that the notified boundary of the park must remain protected. The entire area within the notified boundary of the park remains preserved and or is not diverted to any other use, failing which the concerned officials shall render themselves liable to appropriate proceedings.
The S&GAD constituted a committee under the Secretary Forest & Wildlife with the director of Survey & Settlement, the representative of Survey of Pakistan and the concerned DC have been made its members.
The task of the committee is to carry out a full-scale Cadastral Survey of Khirthar National Park and Protected Complex. It would also recommend permanent survey marks encircling the bounds of the Protected Complex, Cadastral Mapping and recommend its incorporation in the Revenue Deh Maps within sixty days.
The designated committee worked out the cost of Rs. 33,956,520/- for boundary demarcation and fixing of boundary pillars. The cabinet approved the funds for allocation of amount equal to Rs. 260,81,770 to complete the task within 75 days, initiating from the date of release of funds.