Sindh Cabinet approves Rs2bn CM self-employment Schemes

KARACHI: The Sindh government under pro-poor economic revival package has decided to launch Chief Minister Self-employment Scheme to advance interest free small loans to the people.

This decision was taken in the cabinet meeting held here under the chairmanship of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah at CM House. The meeting was attended by all the provincial ministers, advisors, chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah and concerned secretaries.

The chief minister said that the COVID-19 situation had turned a large number of people either unemployed or under-employed. “This is the time to introduce a pro-poor economic package under which interest free small loans may be offered to the people to start their small business or strengthen their on-going business activities,” he said and added he could spare Rs2 billion during current financial year to start with.

The cabinet members after thorough discussions and deliberations approved the proposal and named it `Chief Minister Self-employment Scheme. They unanimously voiced to enhance its budgetary allocations so that a large number of populations could take benefit out of it.

The chief minister said that a mechanism entitlement of loan, method of disbursement, mode of recovery was needed to be evolved. He constituted a committee under chairman P&D Mohammad Waseem, with secretary finance and secretary law as its members to work out details for the programme.

The meeting was told that an NGO Akhwat Islamic Microfinance (AIM) was advancing interest free loans to poor people so that they could start their small businesses. Their recovery rate was 100 percent.

The NGO was called, and its representative gave a detailed briefing to the cabinet and they tasked the chairman P&D to meet with them and share their model with the cabinet in its next meeting to be held before the holy month of Ramzan.

Billboard Policy: Secretary Local Government Najam Shah told the cabinet that the Billboard and hoarding policy has been framed in the light of supreme court orders. Under the policy billboards shall be built and installed according to the standard height, size and restrictions as follows.

The depth of a billboard would be 15 ft, width 45 ft and obvious height 31 fit.

The depth of the 10 ft billboard would have a 20 ft width and 21 ft height. The eight ft depth billboard would have 12 ft width and 12 ft length.

In the policy fee structure of an advertisement, place of advertisement, mode of payment and others have been given the policy.

The cabinet approved the policy, however, a committee under Minister Local Government Nasir Shah was constituted to further polish the policy.

Allotment of land: The provincial cabinet approved the proposal of allotment of 13 acres of land to Jamia Islamia in Deh Tore, taluka Murad Memon, District Malir at a rate of Rs10 million per acre for amenity purpose. The price of the land has been fixed by the District Price Fixation Committee.

Homie Chamber: The cabinet on the recommendation of the heritage committee approved the request of the owner of the building, Homie Katrak Chamber situated at Plot No.,CL-9/22/7, Abdullah Haroon Road, Hoshang Road Karachi for addition and alteration of the heritage building.

The compound of the building would remain the same with revival and inside the compound a 27 floor building would be constructed.

Special Court: The cabinet was told that the Sindh Cooperative Societies Act-2020 has been enforced. Under the act a new Special Court has to be established to hear the cases pertaining to the societies. Earlier, the cases were decided through arbitration.

The cabinet directed Cooperative Department to approach Chief Justice, Sindh High Court for establishment of Special Courts for Cooperative department.

UP&SP Unit: The Sindh cabinet, keeping in view the performance of Directorate of Urban Policy & Strategic Planning Unit approved to declare as an attached department of Planning & Development Board with a budget of Rs143.618 million.

The Directorate of Urban Policy and Strategic Planning is responsible to provide technical support with regard to province-wide urban regional planning and development within a short-, medium- and long-term framework by means of preparation of policies, plans and studies.

Sister City: The cabinet was told that the ambassador of Pakistan in China has informed the Sindh government that the Provincial government of Hubbei wished to establish a sister-province relationship between Sindh and Hubei province and a sister relationship between Karachi and Wuhan. The Wuhan administration has completed their internal procedure to name a prominent square on the riverbank of Yangtze as Pakistan-China Friendship Square.

The Karachi administration would also undertake procedures to name a prominent public square/road on similar pattern as a special gesture of friendship on reciprocal basis.

The cabinet approved `Sindh Workers Welfare Fund Rules, 2021. The secretary Labour Rahseed Solnagi gave a detailed presentation about the draft rules which have been framed after the passage of The Sindh Workers Welfare Fund Act, 2014. The cabinet accorded approval for appointment of Zulfikar Ali as new Chief Executive Officer of The Sindh Modaraba Management Limited.