Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has directed the chief secretary to personally monitor drafting of 31 laws which are to be enacted to take over the functions of federal government’s devolved departments.
The Sindh government under the 18th constitutional amendment has decided to appoint chairman provincial Employees Old age Benefit Institute (EOBI) for which the chief secretary in consultation with provincial labour department would recommend a panel of three names for the position.
This decision was taken in a high-level meeting held under the chairmanship of chief minister. It also reviewed the progress of making of laws to take over the control of various federal government functions devolved under 18th amendment.
Secretary IPC Shahid Parvaiz told the meeting that the Sindh EOBI law had been enacted and now the labour department had to notify its Board of Trustees which the chief minister had already approved with the directives to include two members from chamber of commerce and industry.
The chief minister directed the labour department to notify the Board of Trustees for EOBI and also directed the chief secretary to send a panel of three names for the position of chairman Sindh EOBI. “This work has already been delayed and I want you to expedite it within 20 days,” he said.
The chief minister asked the progress of the notification of Workers Welfare Fund (WWF) Trustees. On this, the secretary labour said that he had sent a letter to the speaker of Sindh Assembly for recommending the names of MPAs. As soon as the recommendation is received, the notification would be issued.
The chief minister directed the chief secretary to monitor the process of issuance of notification personally. “I would suggest you to coordinate with State bank of Pakistan for allocation of account number so that collection could be deposited there,” he directed.
The excise and taxation secretary said that the issue of infrastructure cess stands unresolved. Some companies have challenged it in the court. The cess is collected at the rate of one percent of the customs value of goods imported, he said.
Secretary Finance Sohail Rajput said that presently the infrastructure cess collection amount was deposited in the court, adding that the amount so far deposited in the court was around Rs 15 billion.
The chief minister directed the chief secretary and secretary finance to follow the case in the court so that it could be decided at the earliest. “I want you to hire another lawyer. This must be followed properly and keep me informed about its progress,” he said.
