KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Syed Murad Ali Shah said on Thursday that revenue collection by the Sindh Revenue Board (SRB) showed a significant growth in September 2020 as it collected Rs10.429 billion as compared to Rs8.961 billion in September 2019, showing a 16.38 per cent increase.

In a statement, he said that during the first quarter of 2020-21, the SRB collected Rs26.378 billion as compared to Rs22.899 billion during the first quarter of 2019-20. “This is a growth of 15.19 per cent on quarter-on-quarter basis,” he added.

According to the CM, the heavy rains in Aug 2020 severely compounded the woes of the service sector business, which was already hit by Covid-19 immensely. “Had that not been the case, the quarterly growth achie­ved by the SRB would have been far better,” he said.

Acknowledging the devotion and dedication of the SRB teamwork, he also thanked the taxpayers for supporting and cooperating with the board. “The Sindh Revenue Board is focused on achieving the assigned revenue collection target of Rs135 billion for fiscal 2020-21, that represents an ambitious growth of 27 per cent as compared to the collection of Rs106 billion during 2019-20,” he concluded.

The revenue recoveries were made under the Sindh Sales Tax on Services Act that enables the Sindh government to collect sales tax on services.

Murad approves Rs10.1 bn for NICVD, its satellites

The CM approved a Rs10.1 billion grant for the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) to facilitate proper treatment to heart patients reporting there from all over the country.

He gave the approval while presiding over a meeting on NICVD issues here at the CM House, attended by the Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, Finance Secretary Hassan Naqvi, Health Secretary Kazim Jatoi, NICVD Executive Director Dr Nadeem Qamar and other concerned officials.

He said he had made Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, National Institute of Child Health and the NICVD the best hospitals of the city. “We had enhanced their budgetary allocation so that all patients could be provided the best treatment,” he said and added that the NICVD with the support of the provincial government established its satellites centers in different districts which were providing treatment to heart patients in their home district.

It was pointed out that the NICVD was facing financial issues, therefore the CM then and there directed the finance secretary to release Rs10.1 billion to the NICVD.

When the matter of construction of a new building for the NICVD came under discussion, the CM directed the health department to get its PC-1 prepared and then send to the concerned forums for approval. “We will build the best building for the hospital,” he said.

Published in Dawn, October 2nd, 2020