• Approves Rs3.5bn for STBB to provide free textbooks to govt school students
• Subsidised fare of Peoples Bus Service to continue till June 30

KARACHI: The provincial cabinet on Saturday approved funds for the Sindh police for procurement of over 100 vehicles for operational purposes.

Informed sources told Dawn that the vehicles would include dozens of Hilux pickups, an ambulance, a prison van and four bowsers.In this regard, the cabinet approved Rs177.514 million for procurement of the vehicles.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah held the meeting of his cabinet second time in a week here at CM House.

The home department briefed the cabinet that the different arms of the provincial police, including Central Police Office, Special Security Unit, Counter Terrorism Department, Special Branch and Special Protection Unit as well as the Sindh Forensic Science Laboratory had requested for procurement of vehicles for their operational purposes.

The cabinet was told that as many as 405 vehicles of the Sindh police had completed their operational age and the department needed new vehicles.

The cabinet was requested for provision of funds to procure the vehicles.

After discussion, the cabinet approved Rs177.514m for the home department to purchase vehicles.

The chief minister said that the provincial government had taken measures to strengthen the police by providing them with better arms, ammunition and salary packages, as well as mobilising them with vehicles.

He also “acknowledged” the efforts of the police in “restoring” law and order in the city and riverine area in the past and expressed confidence that they would continue to do so in the future.

CM Shah stated that the police, with the support of other law enforcement agencies, had to expedite operations against street criminals in Karachi, dacoits in the riverine area and drug mafias all over the province.

STBB audit ordered

The cabinet directed the school education department to conduct an audit of the Sindh Textbook Board (STBB) that had not submitted audit reports since 2020.

The audit of the STBB has been pending for the past four years despite the direction of the Supreme Court and the Sindh High Court for submission of audit reports as the news regarding alleged financial irregularities in the board are making rounds in the media.

Sources said that the apex court in January 2023 directed the Auditor General of Pakistan to audit the STBB, but the audit was yet to be conducted.

They said that the audit of the STBB was delayed due to the provincial government’s objection over appointing an additional registrar as supervisor.

A statement issued from CM House said that it was pointed out in the cabinet meeting that the STBB had not provided audit reports since financial year 2020-21 and directed the school education department to conduct an audit of STBB and report to the cabinet.

Meanwhile, it said that the school education department had initiated a summary before the caretaker cabinet for additional funds as an outside budget to meet shortfall of free textbooks from class nursery to class 10.

The caretaker cabinet had approved additional funds of Rs3.5 billion for procurement of books for the academic year 2024-25.

The CM was told that the regular budget allocation of the STBB was Rs2.53bn and out of which, Rs1.26bn had been released.

The cabinet approved the release Rs3.5bn for the procurement of free textbooks for students of government schools.

The sources said that the STBB had started procurement process and free books would be provided to students in August.

The cabinet approved the Hyderabad Water & Sewerage Corporation (HW&SC) Board and directed the department to appoint its members and notify them.

The cabinet was told that the caretaker cabinet had approved an amount of Rs597.756m to continue the subsidised fare of the Peoples Bus Service at Rs50 and released 50 per cent or Rs289.878m.

The remaining 50pc of funds of Rs289.878m were withheld.

To maintain the existing fare at Rs50, the cabinet approved the release of the withheld amount of Rs289.878m so that the subsidised fare could be continued till June 30, 2024.

The cabinet also approved the release of Rs1.18bn for clearing the remaining payment of 90 buses added to the PBS fleet.

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2024