April 22, 2008	Tuesday	Rabi-us-Sani 15, 1429

KARACHI, April 21: Questioning the effectiveness of the local government system, the Sindh chief minister, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, has said that the Pakistan People’s Party has its reservations about this system introduced during the tenure of the previous government.

He said that under the system no remarkable development had taken place during the last seven years.

The chief minister was talking to journalists at Jilani House, Makli, after attending rituals at the conclusion of the three-day Urs celebrations of Pir Zainul Abidin Shah Jilani.

Mr Shah said that the people had chosen the PPP through their votes and it would carry out development activities in the province on a priority basis and would take all-out measures for the provision of the basic amenities and employment to the masses.

He informed the newsmen that the initial formalities for the construction of Keti Bunder were under way and work on the project would start soon.

The chief minister welcomed the decision of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement to end the boycott of the assembly session and their recent visit to express solidarity with the PPP after an attack on Bilawal House.

Referring to the statement made by MQM leaders terming an attack on Bilawal House an attack on Muttahida’s headquarters Nine Zero, he said that such gestures would lead to better working relations between the two political parties.

The chief minister said that the dialogue process with the MQM would continue to set new traditions and hoped that most of the issues would be settled with them.

He also hinted at inducting the MQM members of the provincial assembly into the cabinet in the days to come. Mr Shah was of the view that the Muttahida’s cooperation would help solve the problems being faced by the people of the province.

“The PML-F and the NPP has also assured us to extend their cooperation,” he said, adding that the PPP wanted to establish better relations with all the political forces.

Uplift projects reviewed

Mr Shah attended a briefing given to him by the planning and development department at the Chief Minister’s House here on Monday.

The additional chief secretary (P&D), Nazar Hussain Maher, informed the chief minister about the details of the ongoing uplift projects of various departments.

He said that the Annual Development Programme 2007-08 had been kept at Rs50 billion out of which Rs40 billion had been allocated for the provincial government and the rest for the district government’s development programmes.

The meeting was informed that the total number of schemes under the ADP stood at 7,796 out of which 1,521 schemes pertained to the Sindh government’s 25 departments and 6,275 were related to 23 districts of the province.

The official also gave the details of the funds utilised so far and of the schemes being implemented with the federal government and foreign funding.In order to review the ongoing and new schemes, the chief minister ordered the formation of a committee comprising ministers, MPAs and technical experts.

He said many schemes required redesigning and a detailed study so that the funds being provided by the government could be used effectively for the betterment of the people of Sindh.

Expressing his dissatisfaction over the progress of various projects, the chief minister said that funds were being wasted and therefore, there was need for an effective monitoring of the ongoing and upcoming uplift schemes.

Referring to the Gorakh Hill Station project, he said that the Gorakh Hill Development Authority would soon be established to ensure an effective implementation of the project and a project director would also be appointed soon, he added.

He also said that a coastal development authority comprising area notables and representatives would be set up. Mr Shah asked the relevant officials to visit all the schemes, check and monitor them. He said all those schemes which might produce employment opportunities should be given priority.—Agencies