Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has approved the lifting of the ban on recruitment in provincial government departments, and also granted an extension in service until June 30 to the doctors, nurses and other staff appointed during the Covid-19 pandemic.
At the completion of their term, the previous provincial government had imposed a ban on recruitment in government departments. On Wednesday cabinet members told the CM about thousands of lower-grade vacancies in government departments.
They said that lifting the ban on recruitment not only improves the working of the departments but the youth would also get employment opportunities. With the consent of the cabinet members, the CM approved the lifting of the ban on recruitment in government departments.
He also directed Law Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar and the advocate general to pursue the case in court to get the stay order issued against recruitment vacated. On the request of Education Minister Syed Sardar Shah, the cabinet allowed the school education department to continue the recruitment process of government schoolteachers in accordance with the Teachers Recruitment Policy, 2021.
Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal and Health Secretary Rehan Baloch said that on the directives of the CM, the health department had appointed doctors, nurses, and paramedical, skilled and supporting staff on a service-rendered basis for 89 days due to the pandemic in 2020.
Subsequently, on the recommendation of the health department, these doctors and nurses were allowed extension in their hiring period from time to time up to June 30, 2023. Later, on the orders passed by the Sindh High Court on March 17, 2023, the health department referred the 824 doctors and 324 staff nurses to the Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC) to ascertain their suitability. The SPSC recommended 260 nurses as suitable, but the results of the doctors’ examinations are still awaited.
On the recommendation of the health department, the cabinet approved an extension in service of 705 Covid doctors and staff nurses for a further period of one year from July 2023 to June 2024.
The extension in service of 374 technical and supporting paramedical staff and 2,957 skilled and supporting human resources staff from April 1, 2023, to June 2024 was also approved in accordance with the recommendation of the scrutiny committee. The CM also approved Rs2.04 billion to pay their salaries during the current financial year.
On the request of the health department, the cabinet approved the proposal of handing over 50 government dispensaries to the Peoples Primary Healthcare Initiative, along with HR and operational costs.
Also on the request of the health department, the cabinet allowed the department to procure medicines, surgical items, and tenders of the Hepatitis Control Programme, the TB Control Programme and the HIV/AIDS Control Programme.
Water and sewerage
The Karachi Water & Sewerage Services Improvement Project was launched by the Karachi Water & Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) to improve access to safe water services in the city and to increase the KWSC’s financial and operational performance.
The project has three components: $7 million in operational reforms, $77 million in infrastructure investments and $16 million in project management and studies. The World Bank and the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank are each providing 40 per cent of the funds while the Sindh government has to provide the remaining 20 per cent.
According to the agreement, a 20 per cent counterpart commitment has been made by the provincial government. As the project has entered its fifth year, there is meagre allocation from the government, while its allocation for 2023-24 should have been Rs1.5 billion ($9.6 million). After discussions, the cabinet approved Rs646.756 million for the project.
