The Sindh Cabinet will be urging the National Accountability Bureau to remit Rs1.59 billion deducted at source for 25 percent of the total funds it recovered through its Voluntary Return Scheme over the last 11 years.
This and other major decisions were taken on Tuesday after Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah chaired a meeting of the Cabinet at CM House on Tuesday.
The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, all the ministers, advisors, special assistants and secretaries.
In the last 11 years (2009-10 to 2020-21), NAB recovered Rs6,382,287,659 in voluntary returns and in other corruption cases from Sindh. It gave Sindh Rs4,786,671,308 and retained 25 percent or Rs1,595, 571,920.
Under Sector 25 of the NAB ordinance, NAB recovers embezzled public money and retains 25 percent of it to distribute to its officials as a reward for service and for the well-being of the department, the cabinet was told.
The Supreme Court had in suomotu case No. 17 of 2016 and the Balochistan High Court had in Constitutional Petition No.1048 of 2014 expressed concern and issued directives for the money to be deposited in the public accounts of the federation and provinces.
The Supreme Court had already decided that NAB would deposit the amount. Given this, the cabinet decided to request NAB to return the money.
The Cabinet has also approved a levy of Re1 per litre from bottled water and beverage companies in line with a decision made by the Punjab government.
The law department presented a proposal for the criteria of eligibility for recruitment under a deceased quota. This is for the legal heirs of government employees who die during service.
The deceased quota will be effective from September 2, 2002. The employee who died prior to September 2, 2002 will not be covered.
If the children are minors or the spouse is not willing to apply for a job under the quota then the legal heir should inform the department within two years of the death if the child will apply within three months after turning 18 years old.
The cabinet approved the policy and the chief minister asked the finance department to work out a scheme to continue a lump sum or monthly package for the family of the deceased till what would have been their age of retirement.
