KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah presiding over a meeting on Friday decided to further strengthen coordination with the federal government for the implementation of key projects and improve coordination with the tax collecting bodies.
The meeting was attended by provincial ministers Sharjeel Inam Memon, Ziaul Hassan Lanjar, Jam Khan Shoro, Nasir Hussain Shah, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, PSCM Agha Wasif, and other concerned secretaries.
During the meeting, Minister Energy Affiars Nasir Shah said that twenty-six wind projects with a cumulative capacity of 1875 MW and nineteen solar projects of 1150 MW were waiting for competitive bidding.
After discussion, the Sindh government proposed to the federal government that the first round of competitive bidding amongst LOI holders be carried out by Provincial Energy Departments instead of the Private Power and Infrastructure Board.
The CM said that a consensus had been built with all the stakeholders to conduct competitive bidding on Wind LOI holders for procuring three hundred MW for KE.
Nasir Shah told the chief minister that the previous PPP Sindh government had earlier agreed to fund the project through Equity Contribution. The Caretaker Sindh government approved financing 50% of the project cost through a loan to Pakistan Railways (PR) by the Sindh government subject to ratification by the elected cabinet of Sindh.
The Finance Facility Agreement was executed between the Energy Department and Pakistan Railways for Financing 50% of the project cost on January 31, 2024.
The CM directed the energy department to file a proposal for ratification of the deal.
CM Sindh directs emphasizes importance of efficient data collection system
The chief minister said that provincial and federal data collection and integration was very important for which he directed Chief Secretary Sicdh Asif Hyder Shah to coordinate with the federal government.
Asif Hyder Shah told the CM that the necessary coordination between NADRA, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), and relevant Sindh government departments was in place. The Board of Revenue, Sindh Revenue Board, and Excise & Taxation have inked a MOU with FBR for data sharing and integration.
The CM directed the Chief secretary to strengthen the data collection and sharing system.
In the meeting, Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro informed the chief minister that the caretaker Sindh government had approved revised abyana rates on February 20, 2024. The chief minister directed him to file his comments on the rates revised by the caretaker government so that they could be ratified.
The CM said that there was a need to develop Ground Water Regulatory Framework. He directed the Irrigation Department to work on a new Water Law for Integrated Water Resource Management.
