The Sindh cabinet on Thursday approved several decisions, including introduction of premium number plates for motor vehicles, allocation of Rs1.5 billion for the procurement of an MRI System for Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT) Sukkur, extension of Rangers deployment in Karachi division for another six months and release of Rs10.189 billion for the payment of retired civil servants’ dues.
The meeting was chaired by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah at the CM House and attended by provincial ministers, advisers, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah and others.
Premium number plates
Sindh Excise & Taxation Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon presented a proposal for the introduction of premium number plates for vehicles.
Currently, the department offers three types of number plates — commercial, non-commercial, and motorcycle. In the year 2021-22, the department issued a total of 71,645 number plates having choice numbers generating a revenue of Rs44 million from the choice number fee mechanism.
Memon estimated that if even 10 per cent of the public having motor vehicles opted for personalised choice numbers, it could generate a revenue of Rs2 billion to Rs3 billion per year.
Premium number plates would have unique features, such as they would be personalised property that could be inherited, transferable to another vehicle, CNIC-based registration, applicable to any private vehicle, reusable on any vehicle, customisable colour shades for platinum numbers, and transferable to another CNIC for a prescribed fee.
There would be three categories of premium number plates — platinum, gold and silver. The platinum number plates would have a maximum of three characters and a base price of Rs2 million. Gold number plates would have a maximum of five characters and a base price of Rs1 million and silver number plates would have a maximum of seven characters and a base price of Rs50,000.
The cabinet approved the proposal, which included auctioning off the premium number plates, following the example set by Dubai and other countries. Additionally, the proposal included bundle offers with up to 30 per cent discounts for families and companies.
SIUT Sukkur
The Sindh health department told the cabinet that the SIUT Karachi had requested for release of funds amounting to Rs1.5 billion during 2023-24 for the procurement of a linear accelerator with integrated high-field (1.5 Tesla) MRI System for the SIUT Sukkur. After discussion, the cabinet approved Rs1.5 billion for the procurement of a linear accelerator.
Rangers deployment
The Sindh cabinet also approved an extension in the deployment period of the Pakistan Rangers in the Karachi division from June 13, 2024, till December 9, 2024, under the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997.
Pension funds
Sindh Finance Secretary Fayaz Jatoi informed the cabinet that there were 19,537 civil servants waiting to receive their dues after retirement as of November 30, 2023. The accumulated outstanding amount in this regard came to Rs36.842 billion.
The government had earlier approved Rs21.558 billion, of which Rs11.369 billion was released and Rs10.189 billion withheld. The CM with the consent of the cabinet approved the release of Rs10.189 billion outside of the provincial budget
M9-N5 Link Road
In August 2023, the cabinet had approved the construction of an interchange along with the re-modeling of the Kathore Interchange by the National Highway Authority for Rs2.4 billion. Later, the NHA provided an estimated cost of Rs3.5 billion.
The remaining cost of Rs1.1bn being the difference between the total project cost of Rs3.5 billion and the already approved Rs2.4 billion was placed before the cabinet. The cabinet had earlier approved Rs3,529.237 million but withheld them. The CM approved the amount and ordered its release.
Malir Expressway
The cabinet was informed about the construction challenges being faced by the concessionaire of the Malir Expressway project near Quaidabad, as the original route passed through densely populated areas including Samo, Laasi and Shafi Goth.
Many Goths in the region had been regularised, making land acquisition and construction within the specified right of way more complicated.
The concessionaire conducted the necessary studies and the cost was verified by a third-party consultant and Nespak that submitted a report to the Public Private Partnership Policy Board in its 44th meeting.
The caretaker provincial cabinet had approved the cost of additional works which amounted to Rs27,231 million and released Rs13,615 million as 50 per cent of funds.
Of the remaining Rs14,661 million, Rs7,331 million had been released while Rs7,330 million was still withheld. After discussions, the cabinet approved the release of Rs7,331 million. The CM directed the public private partnership unit director general to ensure that the Quaidabad portion was completed before August, which he planned to inaugurate.