Scab's restructuring, funds, staff needs discussed

The activities of Sindh Coal Authority Board (Scab), restructuring and requirement of staff, budgetary allocations, appointment of Director General, schemes proposed in the 2005-06 annual development plan (ADP) and five-year plan from 2005-10 discussed at the 18th meeting of the Scab here on Wednesday. Presiding over the meeting, Sindh Minister for Mines and Mineral Development Irfanullah Khan Marwat said that five to six new projects were in the pipeline and with their implementation, the role of the Scab would increase manifold.
As such, he pointed out, the requirement of manpower and funds would have to be considered to equip the organisation to meet the future challenges.
The proposed organisational structure, which envisages the creation of 55 posts, including that of a General Manager (Tech), Project Director, Protocol Officer, Chief Draftsman and accountant with other supporting staff, was discussed and approved to the extent of first phase with a financial implication of Rs 4.014 million.
It was decided to move the Finance Department for grant-in-aid so that the staff could be appointed on priority basis.
The Phase-II will envisage the posts of director, marketing, senior mining engineer, senior electrical engineer, senior chemist and marketing officer with the supporting staff.
The board decided to consider the same after induction of the staff approved in the first phase and performance of the Sindh Coal Authority later on.
Draft rules and regulations of Sindh Coal Authority were also discussed and the board decided to forward the same to the Services, General Administration and Co-ordination Department for ratification and legal vetting from the Law Department before implementation.
The performance of the Scab was reviewed and efforts made by the officers and the Director General, Sindh Coal Authority, were appreciated with the expectation that similar enthusiasm would continue for achieving the desired goals and targets as proposed in the plan for next five-year plan.
The minister, in his closing remarks, said that after March, the activities in mines and mineral development sector would move ahead when the two projects, one in Thar and the other in Sonda, would start.