The Sindh Government announced a Rs 391.9 billion revenue-oriented budget here Friday for next fiscal, 2011-12, with revenue expenditures totalled to be around 283.14 billion.The budget was announced by Provincial Finance Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah in the Sindh Assembly.“Current budget estimates had been around Rs 340 billion in the previous fiscal,” he informed the House.The House was further informed that the current capital expenditure has been raised from Rs 44.96 billion to Rs 102 billion for next fiscal.
In his key note address to the Sindh Assembly members, he said that the provincial government curtailed its expenditure by a revised amount of Rs 77 billion from Rs 115 billion.
He said that the super floods caused immense and uncountable damage to life and property of the people not only in Sindh but the province of Punjab was also affected immensely.
“Our government can justifiably take credit for bringing Thar coal development to life after years of dormancy. Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto first envisioned the potential of coal and encouraged foreign investment but the successive governments put the project on the back burner,” he said.
However, the present government succeeded in regenerating foreign interest in vital Thar coal project.
“Two Chinese companies have been selected to undertake coal exploration, power generation and establishing petro chemical complex at two blocks in Thar, which were recently put for International Competitive Bidding. This development has brightened the prospect for bringing in much needed international investment for development,” he added.
“We have also made serious efforts to provide critical infrastructure for development of Thar coal. Scheme for bringing water to Thar from Makhi Farash has been approved by ECNEC, feasibility studies for effluent disposal and laying of broad-gauge railway line are to be completed by end of June,” he said.
The Finance Minister said that serious efforts are also in place to exploit the Gharo-Keti Bandar wind corridor.
“During Chief Minister’s recent visit to Korea an MOU to generate 2000 MW of wind energy was signed with Korea Southern Power Company,” he informed the House.
He said that the issue of electric power was of great priority for the government.
“Following the 18th amendment in light of the Government’s commitment to empower the federating units, the CCl has given principle approval to the removal of a limit on the ceiling of 50 MW which was earlier set at which provinces could construct power plants,” he said while delivering his speech in the House.
The Sindh Government has signed a letter of intent with the Three Gorges Project Corporation, China’s premier electricity producer, to help explore the hydel potential in Sindh, Murad Shah said.
About the oil and gas sector, he said that under the 18th amendment, the Sindh Government has actively initiated the process of creating its own structure for oil and gas and this exercise is currently being carried out within the Electric Power Department.
“As a federating unit, Sindh is the greatest contributor of gas, as we produce 70% of the gas that is consumed all over Pakistan. Last year the province was successful in achieving a production bonus from the Federal Government, and the practice has continued in the current year,” he added.
Recurrent budget of education in Sindh increases by 15 %
The recurrent budget for education in the fiscal year 2011-12 has been increased by 15 percent. This was announced by Sindh Minister for Finance, Murad Ali Shah, in his budget speech here on Friday. He said that the priority being given to the education sector can be gauged from the fact that the total recurrent budget for education including technical education has increased from Rs 22.8 billion during the outgoing year to Rs 26.2 billion for the fiscal year 2011-12- an increase of 15 percent.
The Minister pointed out that in keeping with the vision of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah regarding education, the present government understands that if there is any one sector where investments are going to yield the greatest dividends, it is education. “Education is where the greatest investment needs to be made. It is where our future lies”.
Considering this fact, “we have planned to increase allocation for education sizeably at the school level by introducing Minimum Funding Standard for Schools (MFSS),” the Provincial Finance Minister added.
The districts have agreed to prepare school specific budgets following these standards for non-salary component of school budgets.
The Minister said that the Sindh Government is supporting this initiative of districts with a tied grant of Rs 1.79 billion. With the introduction of MFSS, non-salary budget of schools in Sindh would rise from current year’s Rs 830 million to Rs 3,670 million during next FY; signifying a growth of 342%.
Major reforms in education sector are continuing through the World Bank and European Union-assisted Sindh Education Reform Programme (SERP), which focuses upon increasing school participation, reducing gender and rural-urban disparities in school participation, increasing retention especially of female students and improving the measurement of student learning.
The programme has two components of financing, the first component of US$ 294 million for satisfactory achievement of disbursement linked indicators and second component of US$ 6 million for Technical Assistance.
US$ 205.54 million have been received so far. An Agreement for soft loan of additional US$ 50 million has been signed during current financial year. Both World Bank and European Union have shown willingness to continue the SERP in the second phase for another three years.
Murad Ali Shah further stated that “we have engaged with international institutions in order to provide quality learning for our people”.
He said that major achievements under this programme during out-going financial year are:
Rehabilitation of 1024 schools through an expenditure of Rs 2.408 billion.
Merit and Need Based Recruitment of 8000 teachers.
Distribution of Free Text Books among 4 million students.
Establishment of 300 schools in previously un-served areas through private entrepreneurship. Another 700 schools would be opened under this initiative during the next academic year.
Release of Rs 1,078.188 million to 40,249 School Management Committees in order to promote grass root engagement in promotion of education.
Provision of Rs 1071.57 million to 380,000 female students at Rs 2400-3600 per annum from class VI to X in order to improve female retention in schools.
The priority being given to education sector can be gauged from the fact that total recurrent budget for Education including technical education has increased from Rs 22.8 billion during outgoing year to Rs 26.2 billion for FY 2011-12; an increase of 15%.
Sindh Govt reactivates 602 non functional hospitals in rural areas
The Sindh Government under its Peoples Primary Healthcare Initiative (PPHI) managed to reactivate 602 hospitals and clinics in 19 districts during fiscal year 2010-2011, said Fiance Minister, Syed Murad Ali Shah.In his budget speech on Friday, he said these health facilities were either closed or under illegal occupation and after being repaired managed to treat triple the number of patients previously attended at centers located in rural and semi urban areas.“Four hundred and ten lady doctors along with 300 midwives were specially recruited to serve female population of rural areas,” said the minister.
Syed Murad Ali Shah said, “the number of currently functional 28 round the clock maternity homes with facilities of mini labs, ultra sound, ambulances and generators will be increased to 100”.
The Finance Minister said cold chain facilities will also be expanded along with strengthening of routine immunization.
Sindh Govt. releases Rs 50.399 million for Lyari General Hospital
Sindh Government during the current fiscal year released Rs 50.399 million of the total Rs 253.876 million allocated for Revitalisation and Revamping of Lyari General Hospital (LGH).Sindh Minister for Finance, Syed Murad Ali Shah in his budget speech on Friday said the scheme is meant to provide better health services to the people of Lyari.He said Rs 159.101 were released for upgradation and improvement of Civil Hospital, Karachi.The Liaqut University Hospital, Jamshoro, Hyderabad was provided Rs 48.992 for upgradation of its casualty department.
The Finance Minister said a trauma center is being constructed at Sehwan at a cost of Rs 45.548 million and Rs 40.548 million were released this year for early completion of the facility.
A scheme worth Rs 200.33 million for establishment of Anti Rabies and Anti Snake Vaccines’ laboratory at Peoples Medical College Hospital, district Benazirabad, at Nawabshah and Sakrand cities, is also under implementation, he said.
For early completion of the laboratories Rs 40 million were released this year, he said.
Sindh announces Rs 391.9 bln revenue- oriented budget
The Sindh Government announced a Rs 391.9 billion revenue-oriented budget here Friday for next fiscal, 2011-12, with revenue expenditures totalled to be around 283.14 billion.The budget was announced by Provincial Finance Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah in the Sindh Assembly.“Current budget estimates had been around Rs 340 billion in the previous fiscal,” he informed the House.The House was further informed that the current capital expenditure has been raised from Rs 44.96 billion to Rs 102 billion for next fiscal.
In his key note address to the Sindh Assembly members, he said that the provincial government curtailed its expenditure by a revised amount of Rs 77 billion from Rs 115 billion.
He said that the super floods caused immense and uncountable damage to life and property of the people not only in Sindh but the province of Punjab was also affected immensely.
“Our government can justifiably take credit for bringing Thar coal development to life after years of dormancy. Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto first envisioned the potential of coal and encouraged foreign investment but the successive governments put the project on the back burner,” he said.
However, the present government succeeded in regenerating foreign interest in vital Thar coal project.
“Two Chinese companies have been selected to undertake coal exploration, power generation and establishing petro chemical complex at two blocks in Thar, which were recently put for International Competitive Bidding. This development has brightened the prospect for bringing in much needed international investment for development,” he added.
“We have also made serious efforts to provide critical infrastructure for development of Thar coal. Scheme for bringing water to Thar from Makhi Farash has been approved by ECNEC, feasibility studies for effluent disposal and laying of broad-gauge railway line are to be completed by end of June,” he said.
The Finance Minister said that serious efforts are also in place to exploit the Gharo-Keti Bandar wind corridor.
“During Chief Minister’s recent visit to Korea an MOU to generate 2000 MW of wind energy was signed with Korea Southern Power Company,” he informed the House.
He said that the issue of electric power was of great priority for the government.
“Following the 18th amendment in light of the Government’s commitment to empower the federating units, the CCl has given principle approval to the removal of a limit on the ceiling of 50 MW which was earlier set at which provinces could construct power plants,” he said while delivering his speech in the House.
The Sindh Government has signed a letter of intent with the Three Gorges Project Corporation, China’s premier electricity producer, to help explore the hydel potential in Sindh, Murad Shah said.
About the oil and gas sector, he said that under the 18th amendment, the Sindh Government has actively initiated the process of creating its own structure for oil and gas and this exercise is currently being carried out within the Electric Power Department.
“As a federating unit, Sindh is the greatest contributor of gas, as we produce 70% of the gas that is consumed all over Pakistan. Last year the province was successful in achieving a production bonus from the Federal Government, and the practice has continued in the current year,” he added.
Sindh govt to create 17,000 jobs
The Sindh government has decided to create 17,000 jobs in the province, out of which 13,000 will be produced in the local governments. Sindh Finance Minister Murad Ali Shah informed this at a press conference here at a local hotel on Saturday. He said that 8,418 jobs would be arranged in the education department, 4,283 in health sector and 130 in revenue department. One hundred ninety jobs were also announced
in the judiciary sector, he added