KARACHI, March 12: Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad has called for continuity of all ongoing development process in the province. Presiding over a high-level meeting held at Governor’s House, he said that funds to provincial and city governments as well as contractors should be released stage wise in four instalments, which would not only control financial irregularities but also help maintain check on ongoing development schemes.

Additional Chief Secretary Ghulam Sarwar Khehro said that our foremost objective was to incorporate the element of employment generation through development schemes for poverty alleviation so that people in the province were helped in earning their livelihood. He informed that the funds allocated by the Sindh Finance Commission were released on the basis of progress of development schemes by the departments concerned and district governments.

The governor stressed that funds allocated for development schemes should also have some amount for quality check for which civil engineers should be appointed which, in turn, would also benefit the unemployed engineers.

He said that in order to monitor the performance of civil engineers, a senior civil engineer should inspect the work on weekly basis.

The additional chief secretary said that funds earmarked for the projects were distributed as per formula of the provincial finance commission i.e. 50 per cent on population, 30 per cent on backwardness and 10 per cent distant areas basis while 10 per cent amount is distributed on equal basis.

Besides, special packages were devised for Karachi, Hyderabad and rural areas.

The governor was informed that foreign-aided projects were implemented through foreign project assistance.

Ghulam Sarwar Khehro said the projects included the construction of 97km-long road from Islamkot to Nangarparkar, which would provide better commuting facility to people and would be beneficial for mining sector besides resulting in fuel and time saving.

Dr Ibad pointed out that in view of its richness in mineral resources, Thar area would assume great importance in the region in coming future and called for focussing on its environment.

The additional chief secretary described the revival of Sindh Seed Corporation, which was closed down in the past for being run in losses, as a revolutionary step for development of agriculture sector. With its revival, he said, various seed varieties would be produced commensurating with land conditions here after research on geographical and weather phenomenon.

He pointed out that seeds procured from other provinces failed to give required productivity, because these did not match the local weather conditions and that was why cotton, rice, wheat crops here were not giving their full yield.

The governor appreciated the officials on revival of Sindh Seed Corporation and observed that major chunk of the province’s population was associated with agriculture and it had become inevitable to excel in this sector.

The officials apprised the governor of infrastructure availability in Karachi, Nooriabad, Kotri, Hyderabad and Sukkur industrial areas and said that revolutionary steps had been taken for provision of required facilities, including construction of grid stations for power supply, laying of pipelines for water supply for industries and construction of roads. These efforts, they said, would induce the foreign investors and lead the province to prosperity resulting in the betterment of life of common man.

Ishratul Ibad emphasized the need for incorporating the element of provision of employment through development schemes. He said that the improvement of law and order, industrial and communication facilities was proved with the interest being shown in the province by foreign investors.—APP