Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has approved Rs1.37 billion for reconstruction of all the dilapidated roads of Sindh Industrial Trading Estate (SITE) Ltd Karachi and also decided to transfer collection of property tax to SITE Ltd. He took this decision in a meeting he held with the delegation of SITE Association, led by QasimSirajTeli, here at CM House. The other delegation members were ZubairMotiwala, SulemanChawla, FarhanAshrafi, Jawed Bilwani, Saleem Parekh, Abdul Hadi, AbdulRasheed. Provincial Ministers, SaeedGhani, Jam Ikram, Nasir Shah, Adviser on law MurtazaWahab, Chairman P&D Mohammad Waseem, PSCMSajid Jamal Abro and the secretary Industries also attended the meeting. The industrialists told the chief minister that the condition of the roads of SITE area was dilapidated and they were further destroyed by recent heavy rains. They said that the roads were no more motorable, therefore, transport of finished goods has become a difficult task. They also pointed out that the financial condition of SITE Ltd was precarious because it was overstaffed. Minister Industries Jam Ikram endorsing their statement said that against a requirement of 450 employees SITE Ltd has been overburdened with 1500 employees, therefore the funds generated locally were utilized on the salaries and pensions. He further said that the Sindh Small Industries was also facing a similar condition. He added that extra-ordinary recruitments were made during the tenure of General ® Musharraf. The delegation told the chief minister that the recovery of Property Tax of SITE area be given to SITE Ltd so that the funds generated locally could be utilized on the development of area. The chief minister, after listening to the SITE Association, said that his government would reconstruct all the roads under Karachi Mega project. He approved an amount of Rs1.37 billion for reconstruction of long-life roads for SITE Karachi and directed the Industries department to prepare a PC-I of the project and submit the same in the P&D for approval. He directed Minister Local Government Nasir Shah to assign reconstruction work of the roads of SITE to Karachi Mega Project team but an oversea committee of industrialists would monitor the construction work for which the SITE Association would recommend names.Murad Ali Shah said that not only the construction of roads would be undertaken but drainage system should be developed. On the request of the SITE Association, the chief minister agreed in principle to handover collection of property tax to SITE Ltd so that they not only enhance recovery and then utilize the recovered amount on the development of the SITE.
