Caretaker Cabinet Approves Rs24 Bn To Pay Post-retirement Benefits, Salaries To COVID Doctors

Caretaker Sindh Chief Minister Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar presiding over a cabinet meeting approved Rs24.3 billion to clear pension and gratuity liabilities, payment of salaries to COVID-19 doctors and supporting staff and meet expenditures on the maintenance of law and order during the February 8 general elections

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Jan, 2024) Caretaker Sindh Chief Minister Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar presiding over a cabinet meeting approved Rs24.3 billion to clear pension and gratuity liabilities, payment of salaries to COVID-19 doctors and supporting staff and meet expenditures on the maintenance of law and order during the February 8 general elections.

The cabinet meeting was held at CM House and was attended by provincial ministers, Chief Secretary Dr Fakhre Alam, Chairman P&D Shakil Mangnejo, Advocate General Hassan Akbar, Secretary Finance kazim Jatoi and other concerned officers.

The cabinet was told that due to financial constraints, the budgetary allocations of pension payments were limited therefore pending liabilities and the number of retired civil servants waiting to receive their post-retirement benefits have been continuously on the rise.

The waiting time for retired employees to receive their payments on account of commutation, gratuity and LPR ranges between 12 to 18 months. Given the grievances of retired employees, the Caretaker CM directed the Finance Dept to hold open Katcheries in each district to redress their grievances. During the open Katcheries, most complaints received pertained to long waiting times in receipt of payment on account of commutation, gratuity and LPR after retirement.

At present 19537 retired civil servants waiting to receive their dues amounting to Rs36.942 billion, including 11657 waiting for Rs30.568 billion Commutation, 733 retired employees waiting for Rs0.973 billion Gratuity and 7147 retired employees waiting for Rs5.5301 billion for LPR after retirement as on 30.11.2023 in respect of all districts across the province.

The chief minister, in the wake of the current backlog of post-retirement-benefits amounting to Rs36.842 billion for payment of the Commuted value of Pension, Gratuity and Leave Encashment instead of LPR approved Rs.21.558 billion.

This includes Rs.0.973 billion being 100 per cent of pending liabilities under gratuity, Rs.5.301 billion being 100 per cent of pending liabilities under LPR and Rs.15.284 billion being 50 per cent of pending liabilities under commutation may be provided outside the budget to give relief to pensioners throughout Sindh".

The chief minister directed the CM secretariat and all other provincial departments to set up complaint cells to entertain the complaints for payment of post-retirement benefits. The CM Secretariat Complaint Cell Nos. 021-99202080-1 would receive complaints about pension issues.

COVID-19 doctors, and other staff salaries released: The cabinet was told that during the COVID-19 pandemic services of doctors, staff nurses, para-medical, skilled and supporting staff were hired on a “Service Rendered Basis” for 89 days in 2020. The Health Dept kept extending the services of doctors and other staff from time to time up to June 2023. Meantime, the Health dept issued a circular for the continuation of services of COVID-19 doctors and staff nurses, till receiving recommendations from SPSC.

However, the services of 1,054 technical and supporting para-medical staff (working at tertiary hospitals of the province) and 4,502 skilled and supporting human resources for CVCs (Covid Vaccination Centers) have not been extended from 1st April 2023 and verification is required to ascertain their regularity and punctuality.

The cabinet extended the hiring period of COVID-19 doctors and Staff Nurses for one year from July 2023 to June 2024.

The cabinet extended the hiring period of 1,054 Technical & Supporting Para-Medical staff and 4,502 Skilled & Supporting human resources for CVCs (whose services have not been extended from 1st April 2023 to June 2024 subject to the verification of their regularity, on case to case basis. The cabinet also approved Rs4.06 billion released to pay their salaries during 2023-24.

Election Expenditures: The Home dept told the cabinet that the police have submitted a request for a grant of additional funds amounting to Rs625.467 million to meet the expenses to be incurred on maintenance of law & order situation during upcoming general elections. The requisite funds are for all police ranges, traffic police and IG Police office.

The break-up of the required funds includes Rs210.284 million for feeding charges, Rs148.052 million POL, Rs50.486 million for the hiring of vehicles, Rs116.205 million for the hiring of auxiliary force, Rs90.439 million for repair of transport/machinery, Rs4 million for stationary and Rs6 million for miscellaneous expenditures.

The cabinet after thorough discussions and deliberations decided to approve Rs625.467 million, of which Rs437.827 million or 70 per cent would be released immediately. The remaining amount would be released on submission of reconciled and verified bills after general elections.

The Cabinet College of Nursing (Male) Lyari, Ayaz Samoon College of Nursing (Female) Lyari, and Paramedical Training Centre, Sindh Government Lyari General Hospital, Karachi declared as constituent colleges and Paramedical Institute of Shaheed Mohterma Benazir Bhotto Medical College Lyari, Karachi.

Water Supply for DHA: The provincial cabinet approved a grant of Rs3500 million for KW&SC to execute the project of laying a dedicated water supply pipeline from Dumloti to Defence Housing Authority.

The cabinet approved Rs2500 million to provide of a dedicated water supply pipeline for SITE industrial area Karachi.

The chief minister in consultation with the cabinet approved a grant of Rs. 2500 million for KW&SC to execute the project itself.

S-III: The cabinet was told that the Greater Karachi Sewerage Project (S-III) was approved by ECNEC in 2007 for Rs. 7982 million, with 50:50 funding by the Sindh and the Federal govts. The scheme was revised for Rs. 36,116 million with federal govt share capped at Rs. 3991 million. In the last 13 years, Rs. 14,119 million have been released resulting in the slow progress of the project. Again, in 2023-2024 only Rs. 725 million have been allocated.

Karachi generates about 455 MGD of waste-water. Only 54 MGD is treated at TP-III Mauripur. With a small investment, the treatment capacity can be increased to 135 MGD, (by increasing pumping capacity at TP-III and rehabilitating TP-I).

It was suggested that the scope of the S-III project may be reduced for the treatment of sewage at TP- I & TP- III amounting to 135 MGD, collectively. The cabinet approved Rs.2200 million for S-III projects in the FY 2023-24, in addition to the already allocated amount of Rs.725 million.

The cabinet approved constitution of Sukkur Water & Sewerage Corporation board comprising Syed Waqar, Qazi Abdul Wahid, Mudasir Zaidi, Shafqat Rajput, Dr Zahoor Soomro, Ms Rida Siddiqui and Dr Gul Afshan. The non-official members would be appointed for three years

The cabinet approved a grant of Rs.18.821 to enable the Governor House to procure a Toyota Ambulance fully equipped with a Ventilator System, on administrative-cum-need basis grounds.

The cabinet was told that the Chinese government has assented to extend a Grant Assistance for the construction of houses for Lady Health Workers for post flood rehabilitation and reconstruction. The houses would have a prefabricated structure with a size of two rooms: one for clinical use and one for living purposes. Each house adopts one module with a size of three-meter width, eight-meter length and 2.6 meters height.

The construction area of each house is 24 m². Provide interior lighting, wall-mounted fan, socket, plumbing and necessary furniture as auxiliary facilities, including solar power system, water pump and water tank. The reasonable life cycle of a prefabricated house is 20 years.

The Chinese govt has said that it would give 2000 units to Sindh province. If the provincial government takes the responsibility of inland transportation and the installation on the ground, the total number of units could be increased to 4019 units.

The chief minister constituted a committee under the Minister Local Government to calculate transportation charges and other expenditures and submit his report within a week so that a final decision could be made.

Abiana/Water Charges: The cabinet was told that the Abiana Rate and Water Rate needed to be gradually increased to meet the maintenance and repair (M&R) requirement of irrigation infrastructure.

The Abiana water charges recovery is much less than the M&R expenditure for reasons such as Abiana is very much on the lower side (lastly revised in the year 1999) and the Poor Assessment and recovery of Abiana (Crops) and Water Charges from Domestic, Industrial and Commercial Purposes.

It was pointed out that the average annual Abiana collection was Rs. 528.45 million against the average annual M&R expenditure of Rs 4,464.77 million which showed that the average annual Abiana collection was 8.5 times lower than the average annual M&R expenditure.

As per the Sindh Irrigation Department study of 2014 average annual M&R requirement is Rs. 11353 million which needed to be raised by adding 6.5 per cent escalation for every subsequent year.

The Chief Minister constituted a cabinet committee under Minister Revenue Younus Dhaga to assess the situation and submit his recommendation.

Minister Revenue Younus Ghaga presented the cabinet committee report which suggested a legal framework to operationalize e-Registration in BOR and e-Services in various departments. The cabinet approved the legal framework and set deadlines for its implementation process.