The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah here at New Secretariat. The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, all provincial ministers, advisers, special assistants and other concerned officers.
The chief minister presented a resolution to condemn violation of Pakistan's airspace by Indian air force. The cabinet also rejected the false and malicious propaganda of India against Pakistan and has resolved that the government and the people of Sindh stand united against any possible Indian aggression. The cabinet also appreciated the well rounded and measured response of Pakistan armed forces against claims and remains committed to defend our great country along with the Armed Forces.
Reservation on procurement: The food department requested the cabinet to set new procurement target of wheat for crop 2018-19, however it proposed a target of 500,000 tons. The department had procured 1.4 MMT wheat during the last crop at a rate of Rs 1300 per 40 kg (Rs3250 per 100 kg). To a question of the chief minister the department told the cabinet that there was net 800,000 tons of wheat surplus with food department which 360,000 tons of last year crop.
The chief minister in consultation with the cabinet members decided to export 500,000 tons of wheat through 'Open House Sale'. A committee was formed under Minister Food Hari Ram and secretary of finance and its members with the task to talk to the exporters and facilitate them for exporting 500,000 tons of wheat.
Most of the cabinet members opposed fresh procurement drive saying that it [procurement] has never given any benefit to the small growers. The purpose of the procurement was to stabilise wheat prices in the market, to encourage small growers and develop some stocks in the food department to intervene in case any emergency or shortage of wheat.
The cabinet members said as a matter of fact the small growers have never taken benefit out of government procurement drive. The government was earning bad name despite spending millions of rupees on wheat procurement and top of this the food owned Rs100 billion debt of commercial banks. Therefore, the cabinet members opposed the new procurement and said 'let the market decide the new rates.'
The cabinet decided to talk to exporters first for export of wheat and then the next cabinet meeting would decide procurement target.
Provincial Grid Company: The energy department presented an item in the cabinet with the request to approve establishment of Provincial Grid Company so that four grid stations of 792 KV of renewable energy could be constructed.
Minister Energy Imtiaz Sheikh and Secretary Energy Musadiq briefing the cabinet said Sindh has already established Sindh Transmission and Dispatch Company (STDC) for evacuation of 100 MW electricity from Sindh Nooriabad Power Company to KE with 95 km long transmission line.
The professional team of STDC has the capacity and capability to operate as provincial grid company. The Provincial Grid Company which would be a part of STDC would construct five projects. They are 220 kV Nooriabad Grid Station & Associated Transmission Lines for wind power projects, 220 Kv Jhimpir Grid Station & associated transmission for wind power projects, 220 kV Gharo Grid Station & transmission line for wind power projects.
Two 132 KV Grid Stations and 132kv transmission line of around 25 km in KWSB K-IV project for supply to pumping stations - I & II. It would provide Battery Storage System (BSS) in all the above grid stations to over the intermittency problem in Renewable Energy Systems.
AMBILE Established: Education & Culture Minister Sardar Shah told the cabinet that with a view to provide for development and advancement of Sindhi language engineering and to bring Sindhi language at par with National and international languages, it is expedient to establish Institute of Abdul Majid Bhurgri Institute for Language Engineering (AMBILE).
The chief minister said the provincial government has filed a review in the Supreme Court for taking back all the three institutions, NICVD, JPMC and NICH returned to federal government. At this stage cancellation of MoU between the NICVD and health department may affect the case. Therefore, he constituted a committee under him with minister health, Advisor law, Advocate general Sindh, secretary law and secretary health to review the legal position. In case the cancellation of MoU was necessary then it would be deemed as cancelled.
SRB: The Sindh Revenue Board (SRB) proposed to levy Sindh Sales Tax on Services Health and Life Insurance, Cable Operators and on contractors and construction services. The chief minister said that at present the overall financial position of the people of the province were not stable. Therefore, these proposals may be placed in the cabinet next time so that these levies could be imposed from the next financial year.
The cabinet also approved Sindh Public Finance Administration Act 2019 under which more financial powers have been devolved with a certain quality to the field and administrative officers.
The cabinet after necessary discussion approved recruitment rules of Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), Sindh.
The cabinet appointed Advocate Manzoor Hussian Larik as secretary Board of Governors of Law colleges affiliated with Shah Abdul Latif University Khairpur.