| Karachi gets Rs2bn package |
| Tuesday, 17 June 2008 | |
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Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah presented on Monday the provincial budget for 2008-09. Shah described the budget as ‘pro-people’ and ‘pro-poor.’ The budget was based on the “five Es” of the late Benazir Bhutto’s guideline in the party manifesto (employment, education, energy, environment and equality) and the cabinet as well as the parliamentary party of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) had approved the budget before it was presented in the Sindh Assembly. For Karachi, the CM announced a Rs2billion package for various priority schemes in the provincial capital, which includes the ongoing and new schemes in water, sewerage, and transport. Rs200 million would be given to the Lyari Expressway Resettlement Project. He said that urgent measures were being taken to stop environment degradation by undertaking quick investments on the Greater Karachi Sewerage Plan (S-111) with the allocation of Rs1 billion. Rs100million will be provided for water supply to Baba Bhit, Shamspir and Salehabad in Manora, Karachi. The Education City Project of Karachi, said Shah, is being scrutinised and it was decided to set up the ‘Education City Authority’ for uplifting the education standard. According to the budget document, Karachi’s city district goverment would be provided Rs10.554billion for the next financial year, with Rs5.188billion to 18 towns of the city, from the provincial budget. The City District Government Karachi (CDGK) budget provided by the previous provincial government was Rs9.948billion and the revised estimate budget was Rs10.859billion.Overall, Shah announced that the education budget would be increased from Rs17billion to Rs19billion. The chief minister announced that the Chandka Medical College would be upgraded to the Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Medical University. The overall education budget has been enhanced by 16 percent. This includes various foreign-funded projects. Free textbooks would be provided to five million children, Rs609million would be provided through scholarship to girls from class five to 10th, Rs2.7billion would be provided for the rehabilitation of schools and Rs500million for supporting low-cost private schools. Two engineering colleges, one Art and Design College and an institution of business administration would be set up in different cities. Shah said that Rs240million will be provided for the improvement of college education. A new scheme called “Health Insurance for Poor” would be initiated and under this programme 100,000 poor people would be provided health insurance in the first phase while the Rural Health Center (RHCs) and Basic Health Units (BHUs) would be expended and female medical officers would be given priority in this regard. Moreover, Rs5billion allocated for the treatment of hepatitis would be in addition to the federal government programmes. This was the first time that a chief minister presented the budget in the house as the portfolio of finance was still vacant; the PPP has promised to give the portfolio to one of the ministers of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). Though the MQM’s Syed Sardar Ahmed, who is supposed to be appointed as minister for finance after taking oath as minister on Monday morning, his portfolio as finance minister was not announced on the same day. The chief minister thanked the coalition partners – the MQM and the Awami National Party (ANP) - and PPP co-Chairman Asif Zardari for their guidance in the preparation of the provincial budget and the backing of the federal government to provide additional funds through the federal budget. |
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