KARACHI: City to get 1,525 buses under UTS, PA told
By Our Reporter
KARACHI, Sept 3: During the question hour, as the minister concerned was not present in the House, the minister for planning and development Shoaib Bokhari responded to various questions asked by the members and advised them to put fresh questions on every supplementary, thus defeating the very purpose of this part of the proceeding.
It was the day for Mr Adil Siddiqui, provincial minister for industries, works and transport. But he is in London.
During the question hour, Mr Mohammad Hussain chaired the proceedings for some time.
In a reply to Nasreen Chandio’s question, the minister informed the House that under the Urban Transport Scheme, launched by the city district government in Karachi in collaboration with the provincial government, 14 companies have submitted their offers for procuring large new busses for operation on Karachi urban routes.
The House was informed that all these companies have offered to induct 1,525 large buses. In the first phase, they will induct 695 buses, he said, adding under the UTS, 500 such buses can be offered incentive. Also as per MoU signed by the city government and Green Bus company on May 19, 2002, the company shall bring 300 brand new CNG busses to operate in Karachi. Initially, 28 buses have arrived and the remaining 272 shall reach in November next year.
Another company Scania has agreed to ply 300 busses. So far its 32 busses are plying and the remaining 268 will be operating during 2003-2004.
The House was informed that 2,331 private sector buses, 6,301 mini-buses and 3,403 coaches were operating in the city.
In response to Shazia Marri’s question, the House was also informed that 11 industrial units were set up in District Sanghar during between 1999 and 2002.
In response to a question from Humera Alwani, the House was informed that 28 industrial units are functioning in Thatta district while the same number of industries has been closed down by the private sector.
He informed the House that Thatta Sugar Mills, a Sindh government project, was being privatized.
Replying to a question from Syed Asif Ali Shah, the industries minister stated that there was no such law or enactment to bound multinational companies in Sindh to appoint 100 per cent skilled persons from the local area of operation and to give preference to the local skilled persons.
He informed that the existing labour laws are applicable only to those workers who are in employment of industrial and commercial establishments.
He added that the labour laws and rules bound any employer to appoint or prefer workers for any particular area or class except for the quota fixed for disabled persons.
Replying to a question from Abdullah Murad, the minister in stated that the number of registered workers with the Sindh Employees Social Security Institution on Jan 1, stood at 241,243. During the current year, the target is to register 300,000 workers. The House was also informed that the delay in the privatization of the Thatta Sugar Mills was owing to low bids received, so far.
Earlier, Speaker Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah announced formation of a committee, consisting of both treasury and opposition members to look into the issue of payment to sugarcane growers at Rs 40 plus Rs 3 per maund, as well as quality premium amount.
The issue was taken up by the leader of opposition, Nisar Khuhro, who pointed out that the agriculture minister had assured payments of Rs 43 to sugarcane growers, but the payment had not been made despite a lapse of one year.
