The Sindh government has taken a U-turn on its decision of cutting down expenditures by reducing cabinet ministers and decided to keep the current number of departments intact, in order to accomodate estranged PPP leaders and coalition partners PML-Q and PML-F, Pakistan Today has learnt.
Earlier, the PPP-led Sindh government, after taking then coalition partners MQM into confidence, had decided to merge 44 administrative departments into 28 new ones. However, after the MQM parted ways with the government, the decision was taken back recently by the ruling party’s leadership to not only facilitate its own leaders but also accommodate the other coalition partners i.e. PML-Q and the PML-F.
In March, the federal government had announced reducing its expenditures and the federal cabinet was cut down; however, in Sindh, the centre’s decision became a victim of political reconciliation, well-placed sources told Pakistan Today.
The Services, General Administration and Coordination Department (SGA&CD) also floated a summary for the merger of existing 44 administrative departments into 28 new ones but the chief minister did not approve it citing political reconciliation as the major reason. After the formation of new federal cabinet, the Sindh government decided to bring down the number of ministers to 22 but on MQM resistance the number stood at 28. Moreover, a large number of PPP leaders also became frustrated on not being adjusted in the new Sindh cabinet, compelling the senior party leadership to change its plan.
The sources claimed that the reduction in Sindh’s cabinet would have ensured saving at least Rs 3 billion a year and the performance of the bifurcated departments could improve after reunification. Furthermore, after the merger of departments, extra posts of officials getting heavy salaries, perks and privileges, would also be abolished, saving millions of rupees for the provincial exchequer.
The new departments that were supposed to be merged included: Board of Revenue; Food, Agriculture and Bureau of Supply and Prices; Finance, Investment; Auqaf, Religious Affairs, Zakat; Commerce and Manpower; Education and Literacy; Home; Narcotics and Communication; Coal, Mines and Mineral Development, Planning and Development; Irrigation; Law, Parliamentary Affairs, Human Rights and Criminal Prosecution; SGA&CD, Local Government, Housing, Katchi Abadies; Social Welfare, Women Development, Population Welfare; Minority Affairs; Culture, Tourism, Archives and Antiquities; Sports and Youth Affairs; Works and Services; Information; Health; Science and Information Technology; Transport and Labour; Energy (oil, gas, alternative energy, hydel energy, power); Livestock and Fisheries; Forest, Wildlife and Environment; Relief, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management; and Public Health Engineering and Rural Development.