Ministry of Labour and Manpower on Friday said that Sindh Government has misused Rs 160 million marriage grant of Workers Welfare Fund (WWF) and the case would be referred to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB)for thorough investigation.
Secretary Ministry for Labour and Manpower Arif Azim told this to the National Assembly Standing Committee on Labour and Manpower that met at Parliament House under Dr Ghulam Haider Samejo.
The Secretary admitted that Rs 160 million marriage grant for workers was misused by the Sindh government. He said that the Ministry had released Rs 160 million as marriage grant for workers of Sindh Government, but after the release of funds, the ministry immediately conveyed to the Sindh government to utilise this amount on development schemes instead of marriages. Sindh government utilised this money within one or two days.
He said that the Ministry conducted initial inquiry but it faced many problems in reaching the record for investigation. He said that the inquiry report would be submitted to the Committee. "According to the inquiry report, the amount has been misused and the ministry is referring the matter to the NAB for further investigation to fix responsibility," he said.
The secretary told the meeting that the ministry will be transferred to the provinces under 18th Amendment hence we have decided to take up the case with the Implementation Commission on April 18 to keep Worker Welfare Fund with Federal Government. During the Briefing on funds collection and release, he said that the contribution by the industries is Rs 121.314 billion from 1971 to January, 1 2011 while fund in government account is Rs 87.079 billion during the same period.
He said that the fund releases by the Federal government is 34.335 billion so far while federal consolidated fund A/C is 48.447 billion. He said that previously all the funds were collected through FBR and Finance Ministry use to release the fund directly to WWF Trust Fund A/C. He said that earlier, the funds were deposited to the Federal Consolidated Fund A/C, now from January 1, 2011, the fund is transferred to WWF Trust. He said that Rs 48 billion has been stuck up in Federal Consolidated Fund account so far.
He added that the Ministry has invested Rs 5 billion in various private banks at 13.4 percent interest rate. He said that profit of investment is Rs 30.748 billion from 1971 to January 1, 2011. The secretary said the death grant for a worker is Rs 500,000 and marriage grant is Rs 70,000(for all daughters). He said that Rs 50,000(one time, 3,293 grants issued) granted for earthquake affected industrial worker and Rs 1 billion donated to the Prime Minister's flood relief fund. He said that 113 housing schemes have been completed while 21 housing schemes comprising 1,297 houses, 9366 flats and 16 barracks are on-going. He said that 60,001 workers have benefited through the housing schemes. Similarly, 117 schools have been established and 6 schools are under construction.