KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has directed the provincial authorities for early implementation of the legislation made by the Sindh government for recoveries of Zakat, Workers Welfare Fund (WWF) and Sindh Employees Old-age Benefits Institution (SEOBI) as per spirit of 18th amendment of the Constitution.

He also directed the officers concerned to table a bill in the forthcoming session of Sindh Assembly for legislation to take over Companies Workers Participation Fund (CWPF) to avoid the losses in billions of rupees to the province.

Presiding over a meeting here at the CM House on Monday regarding implementation of the legislation and to enhance the provincial revenue, the CM objected to the charging of the Federal Excise Duty (FED) on services in the province.

He recommended to federal government to de-notify its FED as after the 18th amendment, this duty was the right of the Sindh government.

The meeting was informed that by virtue of efficiency and performances, the scope of Sindh Revenue Board was to be widened and assigned these recoveries of the devolved departments to the province.

The chief minister recalled that even after the 18th amendments, so many subjects were still with the federal government, causing huge financial losses to Sindh. He directed the officers to evolve a strategy and ensure whatever the rights devolved to the province under the 18th amendments.

He pointed out: “We have passed the laws about establishment of the Sindh Employees Old-age Benefits Institution (SEOBI), Workers Welfare Fund (WWF) and Sindh Zakat Act-2011, to take over these services, but still they are with the federal government, causing huge loss to the province.”

When his attention was drawn towards meeting the requirement of the Board of Trustee (BoT), which was yet to be fulfilled, the chief minister directed the provincial labour department and law department to constitute the BoT for the SEOBI and WWF and also frame rules within two weeks for the recovery of Zakat fund.

Senator Saleem Mandivi Wala, who is chairman of the Senate standing committee on finance and economic affairs, informed the meeting that after the 18th amendment there were many financial recoveries which came under the ambit of the Sindh government. But still they were being charged by the central government, he said.

He said: “We are losing estimated amount of Rs12 billion only under the head of the WWF and more or less Rs5 billion have been deposited with the court on account of companies workers participation fund (CWPF) as after the 18th amendment companies refused to pay the amount to the federal government and challenged it in the court of law.”

In response to the briefing of Senator Saleem Mandi Wala, the chief minister directed the secretaries of all the devolved departments to go through the spirit of the 18thamendment, prepare their summaries of claim, including departmental assets, and submit with the provincial government within a month so that the same should be taken up with the federal government for the recovery.

Those attending the meeting included Sindh Senior Minister for Finance and Energy Syed Murad Ali Shah, adviser on labour Asghar Ali Junejo, adviser to CM on Zakat Dost Mohd Rahmoon, CM Principal Secretary CM Alumuddin Bullo, Finance Secretary Sohail Rajput, SRB Chairman Tashfeen Khalid, Advocate General Fatah Malik and others .

WHEAT Stock: Presiding over another meeting here on Monday pertaining to the food department, the CM directed the provincial secretaries of the finance and food departments to work out the present wheat stock position and its outlet strategy and recommend steps not only for its disposal, but also to minimize the losses to the Sindh government.Earlier Food Minister Manzoor Wassan briefed the meeting about wheat stock and its price mechanism in the local and international markets.

Published in Dawn, July 28th, 2015

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