The seriousness of government towards improving literacy rate in Karachi may be gauged from the fact that the Literacy Department of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) is without business for last many years. The same situation has been observed at Public Housing Scheme (PHS) department which has also not been given any new project or scheme for the last 18 years.
Despite allocated budget, staff and officers in the said departments, no business or tasks are being given to these departments making them almost dysfunctional. Despite paying regular salaries to at least 30 staff members, including Directors, Deputy Directors and others of PHS, KMC and (or previously City District Government Karachi) has not assigned any new project/programme since 1993 to justify existence of the department, Business Recorder has learnt.
Besides the Literacy Department, which is interestingly called "Literacy Group of Offices" is practically dysfunctional and has failed to show performance that could justify its existence or separation from the education department during 2002-06. With the allocated budget of Rs 11.96 million for 2012-13, the staff and officers are doing nothing but signing the attendance register daily. The department is mostly found closed while more than half a dozen staff also leave offices after spending a couple of hours without any activity.
Though, the department had given an important program of training of call center agents, by former City Nazim Mustafa Kamal but complete working and responsibilities of the project were later given to a private firm. According to sources, there were many funds sanctioned by different international organisations for the improvement of literacy in the province but all that was not being used due to the appalling state literacy/educations departments.
These most inactive departments at Civic Center have long been working without any assignments as high-ups in KMC have not paid attention towards the departments which are now no more than liabilities for the already cash strapped government. According to sources, PHS as a department of defunct KDA was previously building houses and flats on its lands in different areas of the metropolis and had successfully completed many projects. It had also approved some important projects by the authority but the KMC has not given any project to be run by the housing scheme department.
PHS can provide better and affordable houses to people if it is assigned related tasks as the organisation has previously proved its importance. The successful projects like Hill View Apartments and Lal Flats, Saffari Gardan, Oversees Bungalows and Palace View Apartments, were completed by the department in 1981, 1998, 1984, and 1997, respectively, they added.
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