HYDERABAD, Jan 14: The Sindhi Adabi Board's board of governors has decided to increase its annual grant from Rs5 million to Rs7.5 million and to absorb its 35 employees in the education department to meet its deficit.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the SAB board of governors here on Tuesday which was presided over by Sindh Education Minister Irfanullah Khan Marwat who is also the president of the board.

The meeting decided to operate the press of the board full time and to publish books of the Sindh Text Book Board in the press. The board decided not to dispose of any property of the board and not to give any complementary copy of any book published by the board.

With a view to improving the working of the board, four committees were also appointed. SAB director-general Ghulam Rabbani Agro, secretary Inam Shaikh, Mazharul Haq Siddiqui, Fahmida Hussain, Imdad Hussaini, Agha Saleem, Shoukat Shoro and others attended the meeting.

Later, Mr Marwat told journalists that he would not become the chairman of the board. He dispelled the impression that the board might be dissolved. Mr Shaikh said no member of the board had raised any objection against the post of director-general. He said the board was going to reprint five books.

SINDHI TEACHING: Later, speaking at the prize distribution ceremony after a Mushaira, organized by the Bazm-e-Jilani Sindh at the Sindhi Language Authority hall, the education minister warned that registration of those private schools which do not teach Sindhi will be cancelled.

He made it clear that the employment quota of the minister and advisers in the education department had been abolished and the jobs would be given strictly on merit basis. Awards were distributed among Imdad Hussaini, Habibullah Siddiqui, Nazeer Naz, Sarwar Nawaz Bughio and others.