KARACHI, July 28: The Sindh chief minister, who holds responsibilities of finance, planning and development, is also looking after mines and mineral development in the province and is heading the recently constituted Thar Coal and Energy Board.

“The present composition of the board notified by the provincial government on last Tuesday satisfies the objectives of provincial autonomy in matters of coal reservoirs as well as ensure support of federal government for investment in coal-based power generation,” announced a press release from Chief Minister House on Monday.

According to the press release, a meeting of the members of the committee of the board was held in the Chief Minister House on Monday, which decided to proceed ahead with processing, assessment and evaluation of six joint venture proposals received by the provincial government in response to an international media advertisement in June last.

Provincial Revenue Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Irrigation and Power Minister Jam Saifullah Dharejo, Adviser to CM on Mines and Mineral Development Dr Khatumal Jeewan, Syed Asad Ali Shah, Chief Secretary Fazlur Rahman, Secretary Mines and Mineral Development Younis Dhaga, and Special Secretary to Sindh CM Agha Jan Akhtar attended the meeting.

Of these Dr. Khatumal, Younis Dhaga and Jan Akhtar are not among those, who were notified as members of the committee.

“I will attend committee meeting on Wednesday with secretary of mines and mineral development,” the adviser replied to a question on telephone. He was not clear and precise whether he as adviser and secretary of his department were being taken on board membership.

Officials in the Sindh government said that all proposals that were received within stipulated date and prospective investors gave impression of being serious by providing all documents, latest audited balance sheet and other documents are being taken up for consideration by the committee.

Other proposals, mostly of which were received after announced dateline and comprised only a typed sheet were considered non-serious and hence were being ignored.

The Sindh government issued a press release on Sunday to clarify that the provincial government maintains complete hold on coal and other minerals in the province.

It explained that formation of a Coal and Energy Board, with the Sindh chief minister as its head, has six members from Sindh and four from the federal government to get support from Islamabad on issues related to tariff and electric power generation.

The coal board, the press release declared, is a facilitation agency and not an authority.