New Landmark Sindh Budget

KARACHI (May 21 2006): Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim has said that Sindh's next budget will be an exemplary one with higher allocations to be made for development.

Issuing directives to government departments regarding prudent utilisation of funds, the chief minister said that in the outgoing fiscal a record Rs 24 billion had been earmarked for development and this amount will further go up in the new budget.

He was presiding over a meeting held to review the financial matters of province. Among others, the meeting was attended by additional chief secretary development, secretaries finance, education, irrigation, works and services, agriculture and livestock.

Dr Arbab said that with Allah's blessings, Sindh government budget has enough surplus amount and by now it has already cleared the federal government loans.

He said that no corruption and malpractice in the construction of roads will be tolerated and directed that Rs 400 million allocated for construction and repair of roads must be utilised by June 2006 while for next fiscal an amount of Rs 600 million will be allocated for this purpose.

On the special directive of President Pervez Musharraf, the chief minister pointed out, all canals in the province will be lined while work on lining of 1,000 watercourses is in progress. He told the meeting that salaries of Sindh police will be brought at par with that of Punjab police in the new fiscal.

Dr Arbab called for improvement in the agriculture tax recovery system, special focus on silt clearance of canals and their revamping and said that Rs 200 million will be allocated for this purpose.

He observed that condition of government buildings and hospitals in all the districts was not good. If one hospital is improved in one district, it would help provide better health facilities to people in respective district. He said Rs one billion will be provided in the budget for improving the condition of hospitals in Sindh.

He particularly referred to Civil and Lyari Hospitals in Karachi and Civil Hospitals Sukkur, Mirpurkhas, Nawabshah and Larkana and said medical facilities there will be improved and boards of directors has been formed for them for better fund utilisation and management.

He disclosed that a medical college will be set up in Mirpurkhas next year.

Chief Minister Dr Arbab directed that 27 cattle colonies to be established in all the districts of Sindh including Tando Adam, Mehrabpur and Kaloi for which Rs 400 million will be allocated.

He said Rs 395 million will be earmarked for dairy and meat farming in Sindh to overcome shortage of meat and milk. He directed all the DCOs to prepare report of all the irrigation bungalows while roads running parallel to lined canals should also be metalled.

Dr Arbab said that solar system be introduced for supply of clean drinking water in villages. He said in this modern era, full advantage must be taken of technology.

He called for planning of cities and villages of Sindh and their beautification under town planning for which, he said, loan will be obtained from Asian Development Bank which has shown willingness to approve a 10 million dollar loan initially for this project at soft terms.

He said small villages of Sindh, near the metalled roads will be connected with link roads.

Speaking with reference to unemployment, the chief minister said the government is committed to provide jobs on merit and this will start from education department where jobs would be given on merit only. He said he wants to see higher education standard. He told the meeting that ban on employment in Sindh will be lifted soon.

Dr Arbab said that windmill system will be introduced in Sindh to control water-logging and salinity.

I hope this isn't all just talk, and they actually get something done. This man, Dr. Arbab is very nice, genuine, and he's done a lot in his positions in the past.

great if it goes thru