Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has directed the Works and Services Department to expedite the work on 26 schemes so that they could be completed by June 2022. These are schemes of expansion of existing hospitals and some new facilities; therefore they must be completed in time for public interest, he said while presiding over a meeting to review the development portfolio of the health sector here Saturday.
The meeting was attended by Minister Health Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, PSCM Fayaz Jatoi, Secretary Finance Sajid Jamal Abro, Secretary Health Zulfikar Shah, and Special Secretary to CM Rahim Shaikh, Secretary Works Imran Atta Soomro, Additional Secretary Finance Shuhab Ansari and other concerned officers. The chief minister was told that 171 schemes were launched in the health sector for Rs 18.4 billion of them work on 96 schemes of Rs 11.3 billion and 75 new of Rs7 billion was in progress.
It was disclosed that the government has released Rs 7.8 billion for 96 on-going schemes and the utilization is recorded at Rs 3.1 billion. Similarly, Rs 3.35 billion have been released for 75 new schemes and the utilization is Rs1.17 billion.
At this, the chief minister said that he has released 60 percent of the allocated amount, but the utilization shows only 29 percent of the released funds. The Health Department pointed out that out of 75 new schemes, 27 were approved and the work on these projects had been started. The P&D has approved 16 schemes and their advice has been issued while 23 were under process of approvals from provincial and federal forums. The PC-I of 25 schemes is under process, the meeting was told.
It was pointed out that the key challenges for delay in completion of schemes was dollar-rupee parity and imposition of 20 percent GST which have escalated the cost of schemes.
The chief minister directed the P&D and Finance Department to resolve the issues of cost escalation of the schemes. He also directed the Works Department to take necessary measures to complete 36 schemes by June 2022.
