Coronavirus prevention: Sindh releases Rs12.2b special grant

KARACHI: The Sindh government through its Finance Department released Rs12.238 billion regular and special grant for its efforts for prevention and controlling coronavirus in the province. According to the official figures, this release includes a special fund of Rs3 billion created with the deductions of Sindh government employees’ salaries. According to the break-up, Rs1.3 billion through Sindh government’s ‘social relief fund’, Rs 1.495 billion through deduction of salaries of Sindh government departments, Rs29.439 million salary contribution by employees of ‘autonomous bodies’ and only Rs27.255 million contributed by the general public.

Official figures suggested that Rs20.191 million was credited for the Field Isolation Centre at Expo Centre, Karachi; this center was established with the support of Pakistan Army.

According to the break-up of release of funds, Rs300.796 for Indus Hospital, Karachi, Rs100 million for the office of Director Health Services, Hyderabad, Rs50 million for Sindh Health department, Rs126.733 million for deputy commissioner, Sukkur, for catering to requirement of quarantine center at Sukkur, Rs30 million to DC Hyderabad for catering to requirement of quarantine center at Hyderabad, Rs15.17 million to commissioner Sukkur and Rs5 million for DC, Larkana, Rs580 million for all deputy commissioners of Sindh for distribution of ration to provide ration to daily wagers and poor families, another special grant of Rs50 million also released to DC Malir, Karachi, from the head of special grant.

On the other hand, Rs.835.9 million to be provided to Director Public Private Partnership (PPP), Rs6.944 billion released for third and fourth quarters under the demand of ‘Health Services' for essential items, purchase of drugs, medicines, diet charges and POL; Rs250 million for Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) from regular grant.

Sources in the Sindh government said that all expenditure and procurement were exempted from the rules of Sindh Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (SPPRA) due to the emergency.