The Sindh Cabinet on Monday decided to bring the remuneration of the doctors of Sindh government at par with the salaries of Punjab's doctors which required additional Rs 5.6 billion per annum. However, the cabinet also decided that there would be appropriate legislation under which enhancement of remuneration of doctors, teachers and other professionals would be linked with their performance and achievements.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah presided over the cabinet meeting that was attended by Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, all provincial ministers, advisers to the chief minister, special assistants, Advocate General Sindh and other concerned officers.
The health department took up the issue of doctors salaries as per agenda of the meeting. It sought to pay the doctors of the Sindh government (BPS-17 to BPS-20), house job officers and postgraduate students in line with what their counterparts are paid by Punjab government.
The cabinet discussed the matter thoroughly and most of the cabinet members were of the view that the enhancement of salary package must be based on performance, punctuality and readiness to serve in hard areas wherever their services are required.
The chief minister intervened and said that the decision to revise the remuneration of the doctors was quite difficult for him keeping in view the financial impact but the Sindh government want to meet this demand of the doctors with the hope that they would serve the best diligently.
Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho and Secretary Health briefed the cabinet regarding proposal under which Rs 10,000 per month would be given to postgraduate candidates in addition to their exiting remuneration. Rs 15,000 per month would also be added in the exiting stipend. The health department would also revise remuneration of all grade-17 to grade-20 serving doctors and would bring them at par with remuneration of doctors serving in Punjab, if the cabinet approves.
The cabinet approved the proposal under which monthly special health allowance of Rs 10,000 to be given to doctors of grade-17 and 18 and Rs 5,000 to the doctors of grade-19 and 20. The health professional allowance has been enhanced from Rs 23,851 to Rs 28,472 for grade-17; from Rs 15,956 to Rs 19,175 for grade-18; from Rs 15,935 to Rs 19,100 for grade-19 and from Rs 15,961 to Rs 19,192 for grade-20 doctors. Every doctor will get professional and special health care allowances, therefore additional allocation of Rs 5.6 billion would have to be made.
The health department told the cabinet that the MoU between health department and Peoples Primary Health Initiative (PPHI) has expired on December 12, 2018. The PPHI was managing 1176 health facilities throughout the province with the support of Sindh government. The cabinet was told that the Chief Executive Officer of PPHI had sought renewal of MoU for another period of five years with effect from December 2018 to December 2023. The cabinet approved the request and decided to conduct third party audit and sharing of the PPHI expenditures.
Sindh Cabinet was told that North Karachi Children Hospital contracted out to Poverty Eradication Initiative (PEI). When the administration of the hospital was handed over to PEI it was also given Rs 439.82 million as first tranche with the condition that the next tranche would be released after receiving the audit report. Due to some objections raised by auditor, further release of funds was halted but after all the audit paras clearance, the cabinet approved release of another tranche of funds.
It was decided to revisit the agreement between the health department and the PEI and revise some clauses. Some cabinet members termed the performance of the PEI not up to the mark. Therefore, the private partner PEI was urged to improve the performance. The OPD of the hospital recorded over 27004 per month.
Minister Local Government Saeed Ghani told the cabinet that Karachi Mayor's requested transformation of Karachi Medical & Dental College (KMDC) to a University was pending for long. The KMDC was established in early 1990s with 50 seats for MBBS and 10 seats for BDS. Now there are 250 MBBS seats and 100BDS seats and total strength of the students rose to 1650 students. The KMDC has eight constituent teaching hospitals, including Abbasi Shaheed, KIHD, Sobhraj and others and its bed-strength has increased to 2500.
The LG Minister stated that the KMC council and other forums have also approved resolution for transformation of the KMDC as an independent university. The cabinet approved the proposal and referred the bill to a committee comprising Ministers for Local Government, Health and Education and Adviser to the CM Murtaza Wahab to improve the draft and send it to the assembly.
The bill of Aror University of Art, Architecture, Design and Heritage Sukkur was passed by the Sindh Assembly and was sent to the Governor who returned the bill with the observation to ensure participation of Higher Education Commission. The university and boards department again prepared the draft of the university and on the instructions of the chief minister placed it before the cabinet. The cabinet again approved it and sent the bill to the assembly. A committee comprising Ministers for Education, Transport and Adviser on Law, was constituted to make necessary improvements in the draft and present it in the assembly.
As per directives of the Sindh High Court, the cabinet approved establishment of Safe Houses for distressed women's immediate rescue, safety and shelter from threats or security concerns on temporary basis in each district.
The Social Welfare department stated that District Safe Houses committees were formed with DCs as heads of respective district's committee for running the safe House. The cabinet approved an amount of Rs 5 million, including Rs 3 million for manpower and Rs 2 million for utilities.
The Sindh cabinet approved establishment of Occupational Safety and Health Council Sindh. Secretary Labour has been made its chairman and members include: five government representatives (Industries, SBCA, Health, EPA and Fire dept), four representatives from employees, four representatives from workers, four professionals, three from civil society and officer from Directorate of Labour.
The council shall perform the functions as follows: Advice the government on all matters relating to the objects of the act which government may refer to the council; and review legislation relating to occupational safety and health. The council may make recommendations with regard to formulation and implementation of provincial policies and strategies relating to occupational safety and health. The actions to facilitate cooperation between the government, employers, workers and any other persons or organisations engaged in occupational activities, etc.
The cabinet discussed the Supreme Court order regarding restoration of past glory of Karachi by restoration of original Master Plan. Under that SC order, establishments/ encroachments over converted plots from residential, park, playgrounds and hospitals to commercial purposes are to be demolished.
The meeting was told 924 residential plots were converted into commercial. The KMC has demolished or sealed 142 buildings, so far.
The meeting constituted a cabinet committee comprising LG Minister Saeed Ghani, Education and Culture Minister Syed Sardar Shah and Minister for Transport Awais Qadir Shah to review status of the establishments developed on converted plots and give recommendations to the cabinet within next 30 days.
The Sindh cabinet was told that work on K-IV project meant to provide 260MGD of water to Karachi in the first phase has been awarded to FWO for Rs 25.55 billion. The federal government is sharing the 50 percent cost and remaining 50 percent is being borne by the Sindh government. Due to addition of supplementary work such as 50MW power plant, augmentation and ancillary work as well as changes in routes, etc, it was felt to review the design.
The cabinet was proposed to procure M/s NESPAK for third party thorough design review of the project. The cabinet approved the request and relaxed the SPPRA rules to avoid further delay.
Secretary irrigation Jamal Shah told the cabinet that the development of Thar Coal Block-II for establishment of power plant has been entrusted to SECMC. To meet the requirement of 35 cusecs of water RO Plant has been installed at Nabisar. The LBOD scheme among the key projects taken by the government under infrastructure development initiative for Thar region and is a lifeline to the power projects being developed for power plants on Thar coal. The scheme was to provide pre-treatment facility to the water input for the RO plant.
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