KARACHI: Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah while presenting the budget for FY 2023-24 informed about the Ongoing Flagship Projects of Annual Development Programme 2023-24.

The projects are:

English medium Schools: Under the Rs11,777.401 million project 50 state-of-the-art resilient schools are being constructed on prefabricated mild steel structures. The project is implemented under three separate schemes: the Establishment of 25 English Medium schools; one in each district, the Establishment of 15 Comprehensive High schools, and the establishment of 10 Comprehensive High schools; one in each district.

The expenditures on the project have been recorded at Rs7,931.005 million and the allocation for the next financial year, 2023-24 is Rs1.51 billion. The project would be completed in June 2025.

The chief minister disclosed that 34 schools including 20 English Medium and 14 Comprehensive have been made functional. 15 schools have also been provided furniture, IT equipment, and science material. To carry out the remaining works on five more English Medium schools in Shikarpur, Umerkot, Tharparkar, Kamber, and Jacobabad.Cold-formed steel structures in 10 schools would be provided during the next financial year 2023-24.

Aror University: Aror University of Art, Architecture, Design, and Heritage Sukkur is being established. The aim of the RS1.595 billion project is to provide modern methods of teaching as well as research activities in Art, Architecture, Design, and Heritage for developing Human Resources for the country so that highly qualified manpower can contribute to the socio-economic development of the country.

The expenditures of the project have been made so far Rs1.017 billion and the allocation for the next financial year, 2023-24 is Rs250 million. The project would be completed in June 2025.

It may be noted that the university started its functioning in May 2022. 200 student, boys, and girls started their carrier in conjugated and qualified academics such as the faculty of Architecture & Town Planning and Photography. 

In the next financial year, 2023-24 infrastructure for the faculty of Design and Heritage would be established. Hotels for girls and boys, an auditorium, and a gymnasium for students would be constructed.

Sindh Infection Diseases Control Hospital & Research Center Karachi: The Rs4.534 billion project aims at expanding and improving diagnostic and therapeutic facilities for patients suffering from infectious disorders, providing medical and surgical care to seriously affected patients in case of mass pandemics and emergencies, and minimizing morbidities and mortalities. The project also supports building capacities of undergraduate and postgraduate doctors, undertaking epidemiological research, and collecting data for future planning to control infectious disorders and conduct various vaccine/medicine trials in the research center.

The cumulative expenditure on the project comes to Rs620.853 million while the allocation for the next financial year, 2023-24 is Rs250 million.

During the current financial year, Block-A & B have been completed and are providing services and for the next financial year Bloc-C would be completed.

PEADS Cardiac Unit at NICVD: The main objective of the Rs2.757 billion project is to reduce morbidity and mortality in infants and children suffering from cardiac diseases and provide highly specialized pediatric surgical and pediatric cardiology wards. It strengthens the existing infrastructure for better referral services and supports systems for the improvement of health conditions, especially child health, and develops new sub-specialties like pediatric electrophysiology. The project envisages a seven-story building scientifically designed to accommodate 258 indoor beds, six operation theaters with 24 bedded surgical ICU, catheterization, surgical, echocardiography departments, electrophysiology lab etc.

The expenditures incurred on the project so far come to Rs2.294 billion while the next year’s allocation is Rs462.562 million and the project would be completed in June 2024.

It may be noted that the RCC structure to the 7th floor has been completed, including the lift and stair walls. The building structure up to the third floor has been completed.

Water Reservoir on Solar Power: The Rs1.32 billion project of Construction of Water Storage Reservoirs on Solar Power for the Conservation of water for Increasing Crop Intensity in Sindh in all districts aims at increasing agricultural production by utilizing available irrigation and underground sweet water more efficiently through the construction of water storage reservoirs operated on solar pumping systems. This would help farmers to store water for crops during a shortage of water and improve their socioeconomic conditions.

On the project, Rs45 million have been utilized for the construction of 62 water storage reservoirs. For the next financial year, Rs100 million have been allocated to construct 49 more water reservoirs. The project would be completed by June 2026. 

Farming Techniques to Improve Crop Yield: The Rs99 million project of Vertical Farming Techniques to Improve Crop Yield in Sindh aims to increase agricultural production by utilizing available irrigation water more efficiently through a High-Efficiency Irrigation System (HEIS) and getting multiple growths of crops in tunnels with controlled atmosphere technology. The government has utilized Rs12.5 million for the installation of 12 units of control atmosphere vertical farming as a pilot project in different districts.    

The government has allocated Rs46.583 million for 2023-24 for the construction of five vertical farms in different districts. The project would be completed by June 2024.

Intra-District Peoples Bus: The Sindh Peoples Intra District Project is a G2G initiative between the Government of Sindh and NRTC that was launched in 2021, this is the first-ever Intra City Public Transport Project operating in mixed traffic, particularly in Karachi and other cities of Sindh.

The cost of the project is Rs1.952 billion and so far, Rs800 million have been utilized for the purchase of 250 Diesel Hybrid buses which are operational. The government has allocated Rs1.152 billion for 2023-24 for the procurement of 20 new diesel hybrid buses. The project would be completed by June 2024.

Urban Drainage Scheme Shikarpur: The project aims to treat 9.82 MGD of wastewater before discharging it into a water body. 200,000 population will benefit from the project by the year 2030. Around 6 domestic wastewater disposal pumping stations are to be established. The cost of the project is Rs1.197 billion and so far, Rs1.01 billion in expenditures and for the next financial year, Rs181.581 million have been utilized.

Out of six domestic wastewater disposal pumping stations, five were completed. Two oxidation ponds out of three were constructed and 80 percent of wastewater is collected through the efficient network, treated, and disposed of into the final water body.

In the next financial year, 2023-24, the remaining work of construction of one oxidation pond, RCC Nullah, one domestic wastewater disposal pump station, and surface drains and CC block would be completed. 

Water supply Naukot-Mithi upto Chelhar: Upgradation Pipeline Water Supply Scheme Naukot-Mithi up to Chelhar, District Tharparkar has been launched for Rs1.02 billion. The project envisages providing 6.631 million gallons of canal water to 459,145 population in Mithi Town, Chelhar, Islamkot, en-route villages in between Naukot to Mithi, Mithi to Islamkot and Lunio, Pilu, Bantari, & Churioto Nagarparkar, through the construction of 560,000 gallons underground and 300,000 gallons over ground RCC reservoirs and installation of pumping machinery.

The location of Mithi Town, Chelhar, Islamkot, en-route villages in between Naukot to Mithi, Mithi to Islamkot and Lunio to Nagarparkar, and Nagarparkar to Churio. The cumulative expenditures of the scheme are Rs313.489 

and Rs712.218 million have been allocated for the next financial year for the construction of 560,000 gallons RCC underground reservoir in P/s Gori Viarawah and Nagarparkar.

Dualization of Hyderabad-Tando M. Khan: Dualization of Hyderabad-Tando Mohammad Khan Road is an Rs5.106 billion 33 km dual carriageway having a width of 27 feet on each side with asphalt concrete providing connectivity between both cities of Sindh and adjacent areas. The carriageway provides accessibility to agricultural products and enhances business opportunities in adjacent urban markets.

The project is physically completed and with the start of the new financial year, minor touch-ups would made to complete it.

Widening of Mithi to Diplo Road: The Widening and construction of a 39.2 km road from 18ft to 24ft with 2” asphalt is an Rs1.91 billion project. This road connects Talukas Diplo & Mithi and also provides access to the salt mines of Diplo. It opens up avenues for the development of adjoining areas by providing access to markets and other facilities available in Mithi. This road connectivity reduces vehicle operating costs by improving road & shorter travel time to Diplo & other towns. The project would be completed within the next two weeks.

Forensic Lab: The Rs5.426 billion project of Forensic Laboratory Karachi is being established to provide 14 forensic disciplines/services including audio-visual analysis, computer forensics, crime scene and death scene investigation, DNA and serology, forensic photography, narcotics, toxicology, trace chemistry, polygraph, firearm & tool marks identification, latent fingerprints, forensic pathology, and explosive lab.

The Grey structure of the boundary wall, watch towers, and high service reservoir, 40 percent of the grey structure of the main building was completed. 95 percent grey structure of the reception bloc, 15 percent evidence block, and finishing work on reception bloc have been incurred for Rs1.45 billion and Rs2.7 billion allocated for next financial year to complete 75 percent overall work.

Sweet water project for Thar: Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Sweet Water Project for Thar (Umerkot to Keetari) has been launched for Rs 6.877 billion. The project envisages providing water from Thar Wah of Umerkot to Keetari Taluka Chachro via Dhalo jo Tar, Kaplore, Viklore Tar, Budha Sanda, Vechlo Par, Ratan Jo Tar and the Construction of underground Reservoirs. It further aims to provide sweet potable water to 70 big villages to the present population of 231,010 and a future population of 500,000 drawn from Thar Canal. The scheme is functional and provides sweet water to 50 villages.

RS4.38 billion have been utilized to provide sweet water to 50 villages of Thar desert for which 63 MG open storage reservoirs at zero station Umerkot have been made functional. 49 Reduced Distance (R.D) of Kotwah of Thar Canal lined, 52 Reinforced Cement Concrete (R.C.C) underground tanks in various villages, and a 0.55 million-gallon tank in Chachro city completed.

Rs400 million have been allocated for the next financial year for the construction of a storage settlement tank and pumping station, the Construction of storage tanks of 20000 gallons, 50000 gallons, and 60000 gallons in various villages, Solar lights, and fencing in streets/villages. The scheme would be completed by June 2024.

The lining of Oderolal Branch: The Rs3.932 billion Cement Concrete (RCC) lining of the Oderolal Branch from RD-0 to RD-201, District Thatta includes the construction of Cement Concrete (C.C) Lining of the branch from head to tail, construction of modules, and rehabilitation of existing road bridges. The lining of the Odero lal branch will save 80 Cusecs water which will ultimately increase the cultural command area from 7 percent to 10 percent. On the scheme, Rs2.582 billion have been incurred on the lining of up to RD-73 to RD-201, and bridges have also been constructed along the roads.

For the next financial year, Rs1 billion has been allocated for lining from RD-0 to RD-72 and for the construction of Sea Dykes to prevent seawater intrusion.

Karachi (10june)

Barrister Murtaza Wahab, the Spokesperson and Law Adviser of the Sindh Government submitted the nomination papers for the Mayor of Karachi at the Regional Election Commission Office. Besides PPP Sindh President Nirsar Khuro, provincial ministers Nasir Hussain Shah, Saeed Ghani, lawyers, officials, and other supporters were in large numbers outside the Election Commission office.

On Saturday afternoon, Barrister Murtaza Wahab reached the Regional Election Commission office; party leaders, workers, and lawyers gave him a warm welcome; the workers chanted loud slogans; after submitting the nomination papers for Mayor KMC, the party leaders, along with Barrister Murtaza Wahab also spoke to the media.

Nisar Ahmad Khoro thanked the workers of PPP and all other leaders for their arrival and said that we had come here for the election of the mayor and deputy mayor and had submitted the election paper. The People’s Party came to the fore as the majority party, which had not quit a single seat, and proved Bilawal Bhutto’s slogan that “Karachi is Bhutto’s city. We have done it and shown it. The moment we have been waiting for a year has come. Murtaza Wahab is the mayor, and Salman Murad is the candidate for deputy mayor along with Najmi Alam Mayor Arshad Shar, and Karamullah Waqasi have submitted papers as covering candidates for Deputy Mayor.

Barrister Murtaza Wahab said in response to media questions that I am thankful to Bilawal Bhutto, who elected me for the mayorship of his hometown. Our party’s agenda is service. People are not coming to Hafiz Naeem’s meeting. Who is to blame? No one wants to vote for him, so the responsibility is being put on us. Provincial Minister Saeed Ghani said that our presence proves we are all one. Hafiz Naeem has only two wishes. Hafiz Naeem will not become the mayor of Karachi. He should go to Nadra and change his name and write it as mayor. Saeed Ghani made an offer to Jamaat-e-Islami once again and said that if Jamaat-e-Islami is ready for a deputy mayor, he will convince his party.