• Terms shutdown of power feeder of an entire area on pretext of electricity theft ‘unconstitutional’
• Demands Centre reform load management laws to end discrimination
• Fixes minimum wage for unskilled labourers at Rs37,000 per month in Sindh

KARACHI: The Sindh cabinet on Friday raised its voice against prolonged loadshedding, which is being considered as collective punishment by power distribution companies (Discos), and called upon the federal government to bring reforms in laws pertaining to load management.

The cabinet also termed the shutdown of the entire power feeder of an area by Discos on the pretext of non-payment of bills or line losses “unconstitutional”.

Official sources said that the meeting of the provincial cabinet, presided over by Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, discussed the issue of loadshedding across the province and observed that the line losses due to power theft by some consumers could not be blamed on the public.

Energy Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah informed the cabinet that the Discos shut down entire feeder of an area on the pretext of non-payment and power theft. He added that line losses or technical losses were the inefficiency of the revenue collection system of the electricity distribution companies.

He recommended to the cabinet to approach the federal government to stop Discos from shutting down entire feeder of any area on account of line losses or power theft.

The minister also urged the cabinet to seek amendments to current laws allowing economic loadshedding and argued that the current laws of load management led to discriminatory practices as it violates Article 25 of the Constitution that ensured equality before the law.

He also recalled that in a recent public hearing organised by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra), Rs50 million fines were imposed on five (Discos), including K-Electric and Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco), for excessive loadshedding in 2022.

The chief minister said that the Discos could not put the burden of line losses or technical losses on all the people of the area.

“It is an injustice that the electricity distribution companies switch off the entire feeder if a few people are not paying their bills, and even to meet the line or technical losses the customers are penalised, which is unconstitutional,” he added.

He said that the power utilities should take their own measures to prevent electricity theft.

The CM asked the energy department to send the provincial cabinet’s recommendations to the federal government.

The cabinet approved rise in the minimum wage for unskilled labourers from Rs32,000 to Rs37,000 for the fiscal year 2024-25.

It approved minimum wage for unskilled workers at Rs37,000, semi-skilled Rs38,280, skilled Rs45,910 and high-skilled Rs47,868.

Over Rs69m approved for 485 police stations

The cabinet approved Rs69.2 million for 485 police stations in the province, including Rs33.8m for 78 police stations of the Karachi Division.

The other divisions have 407 police stations and their budget would be Rs35.4m.

The cabinet also approved an amendment in the Sindh Police Financial Powers Rules 2019 under which a SHO of grade-16 has been given drawing & disbursing officer (DDO) power and authorised to draw Rs200,000 per month.

On the request of the health department, the cabinet approved the surrender of 731 redundant posts with an annual financial implication of Rs336.729m in each teaching hospital and created 434 clinical care posts with an annual financial implication of Rs1.16 billion for hiring of staff on contract basis against the surrendered posts in each teaching hospital in the best public interest.

On the recommendation of the health department, the cabinet approved handing over nine dispensaries upgraded to the level of Maternal and Child Health (MCH) centres to a non-government organisation HELP to run them round the clock. These MCHCs are located in the remote areas of district Tharparkar.

The CM directed the department to establish day-care centres in all districts for which the department would submit its proposals.

The cabinet, on the recommendation of the finance department, extended the contract period of Dr Wasif Ali Memon as the chairman of the Sindh Revenue Board (SRB) from November 2024 to December 2025.

Published in Dawn, October 12th, 2024