KARACHI: “Public-private partnership has assumed an important role in the development of Sindh and we are going to expand its scope for better services to our people,” said Chief Minsiter Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday.

He was presiding over the Public Private Partnership Policy Board meeting where projects to be launched under the public-private partnership (PPP) mode were discussed, including the motor vehicle inspection, selection of bank for Yellow and Blue line BRT transport projects, modern vegetable, meat, fish markets, solar dates dehydration and tourism.

The board approved the proposal of creating a `PPP project support facility’ to independently manage the viability gap fund for achieving better value and improving risk management. The proposal included Rs550 million for the fund as per agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) which was also approved.

The Motor Vehicle Inspection Project (MVI) was approved in January 2015 for MVI and Certification system. The Transport and Mass Transit Department received only two bids for the project. The board approved post facto approval for awarding the project’s work to a private firm.

Selection of bank for Yellow Line Project was also approved. Under the project, there would be 69pc debt, 16pc concessionaire equity and 15pc Sindh government’s share. The finance department’s request to accord approval for engaging the selected bank and proceeding for financial close was approved during the meeting.

The board also considered the unsolicited proposal from Bahria Town for launching BRT Blue Line project, which was approved to be taken up under the PPP mode of procurement of investors’ solicitation.

The chief minister directed EcoBus, the private firm offering to operate 500 electric air-conditioned buses for plying on all possible public transport routes within the city, to send the proposal to the technical committee and seek their recommendations.

The CM directed the agriculture department to work out the proposal and submit in the next board meeting regarding the establishment of a modern vegetable, fruit, fish and meat market in Khairpur.

The solar dates dehydration project was also discussed and the board approved the proposal for hiring a consultant for that. The board also directed to connect the proposed Dry Land Farming Research Institute Mithi with a university.

Regarding the Lab-e-Mehran Tourism Development Project Sukkur, the meeting was proposed that appropriate development of river front can be turned into a major asset for the city.

The board approved the proposal and directed the culture and tourism department to hire a consultant for the purpose.

The Education Management Organisation project also received the board’s approval on the proposal to hand over the management of 14 schools to private partners.

The meeting was attended by provincial ministers, Dr Sikandar Mendhro, Jam Mehtab Dahar, Sohail Anwar Siyal, Syed Sardar Shah, Syed Awais Shah, Ghulam Qadir Chandio, Chief Secretary Rizwan Memon, Chairman P&D Mohammad Waseem, Principal Secretary Sohail Rajput and other members of the board.

Published in Dawn, November 8th, 2017