Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Monday said that the 8th National Finance Commission Award would be finalised by 31st December 2016. The next budget would be prepared on the basis of a new Award, he said. He was speaking at a Meet the Press at the Lahore Press Club after attending a working group meeting on the Award in the provincial metropolis. "Announcement of the NFC Award is a Constitutional responsibility and we are asking the members to follow the Constitutional requirements," he said.
The newly-elected Sindh Chief Minister said the PPP government had announced the 7th NFC Award in 2010, which was a historic moment as the then federal government had evolved consensus among the stakeholders. "This Award was expired in June 2015 and the new one was due by 1st of July 2015. "But the very first meeting was delayed until 2015, which was due in 2013," he added.
"I had attended that meeting as the provincial finance minister and put forward an ambitious plan while seeking an announcement of a new award in five weeks ie, by 31st May 2015. However, this meeting failed to evolve a consensus and concluded on the constitution of four working groups with dedicated assignments," he added. He said the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh had already submitted their reports while the province of Punjab submitted it on 5th September 2016. "The federal government has yet to submit its report," he pointed out.
He said he had also requested the provincial finance ministers to hold a meeting on the Award in a joint meeting held in Islamabad last week with the federal finance minister Dar in chair. He said Sindh carries the key to the energy crisis. "We have 142 billion tons coal reserves besides a potential of generating 50,000 megawatt wind energy on its coastline.
In addition, he said, over 70 percent of gas reserves belong to Sindh. "We can generate 1000 megawatt wind energy before the next general elections," he claimed while pointing out that Sindh was already generating 350 megawatt wind energy besides and is all set to add another 300 megawatt soon. "But the National Transmission and Despatch Company has informed us that it can lay down transmission line not before December 2018. I have requested the prime minister that either the date should be revised to 31st December 2017 or let the Sindh province to lay down transmission line on its own through its Transmission and Despatch Company," he added.
He said the prime minister has sought an undertaking from the Sindh government for timely completion under the revised plan, which he has extended accordingly. Furthermore, he added, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority should announce a tariff and let the Central Power Purchase Authority to sign an agreement for its purchase from the Sindh government.
On the Kala Bagh Dam, he said, three provinces have passed resolutions against it and the ANG Abbasi report, prepared during the Musharraf regime, had concluded that no enough water was available to build up the KBD. Moreover, he said, irrigation requirements of the country should always be preferred against cheap electricity.
He said the law and order situation in Karachi has improved impressively and the demolition of illegal offices of Muttahida was an administrative, and not a political order of his government. However, he made clear that there was no official order to remove the pictures of the political leader of Muttahida Qaumi Movement. "There is no ban on political activity of any political party and I have provided security to Dr Farooq Sattar on his request," he clarified.
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