Murad reviews forthcoming CCI moot's preparations

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah presided over a preparatory meeting for the CCI meeting the prime minister has called on December 11, 2019.

The chief minister reviewed the agenda and directed department of inter-provincial coordination (IPC) to make necessary preparations for the meeting by arranging all the relevant summaries so that he could present his government's point of view in all the important issues, including 1991 water accord, energy policy, return of withholding tax the FBR deducted directly from provincial excise department account and such others matters.

The IRSA has issued NOC for installation of 25MW hydropower project located on Chashma-Jhelum (CJ) Link Canal in October 2019. The provincial government is of the view that the IRSA was not a competent forum to issue such an NOC, therefore the matter should be taken up in CCI.

The chief minister said that CJ link canal was not a main canal and even not a flood canal because it has no assured supplies throughout the year. He added that when it has no allocation of water in 1991 accord how a hydro power project could be installed there. The chief minister directed the irrigation department to prepare a case and present him within a week.

EOBI: By virtue of 18th constitutional amendment, the Sindh assembly has passed the Sindh Workers Welfare Fund Act, 2014 and The Sindh Employees Old-Age Benefit Act, 2014, therefore, the both workers welfare ordinance of 1976 and Old-Age Benefit Act, 1976 have been repealed to the extent of Sindh.

The chief minister said that the federal government should hand over the administrative control of WWF and EOBI, including assets due share may be provided to Sindh. He directed Labour department to prepare the case accordingly.

Petroleum Policy 2012: The federal government has proposed an amendment in Petroleum (Exploration & Production) Policy 2012 under which 5 percent carried working interest concept has been incorporated. It means the provincial government will have to pay five percent expenditures of carried work even if the exploration is failed.

The chief minister said that his government was against such a 'carried working interest,' and it would be a big drain to the provincial resources. He urged the energy department to prepare a case accordingly.

Food authorities & PSQCA: An issue between the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) and provincial food authorities have emerged over their role as quality controlling and regulatory authority.

The Sindh government feels that after 18th amendment, food articles being the provincial domain, is subject to be regulated, inspected, registered, licensed and enforced by the provincial food authorities in their respective province, the chief minister said and directed food authority to prepare the case and submit him for the meeting.