Sindh cabinet declares 58 posts in BS-20/BS-21 as ‘Floating’ to fill them with officers from among PAS, Ex-PCS and PSS on the seniority basis.
Karachi: Sindh cabinet on Tuesday decided to declare 58 posts of BS-20 and BS-21 as Gloating Posts as the provincial government has been facing shortage of senior bureaucrats for running the affairs of various departments.
During last three years, as on average, Sindh government has been facing 50 percent shortage of BS-21 officers of Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS), over 75 percent of BS-20 officers and 80 percent of grade BS-19 officers, noted the cabinet, which met here with Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah in the chair.
The cabinet was told that due to heavy shortfall of the PAS officers and cancellation of additional and look-after charges by the courts of law a large number of important posts were lying vacant which were adversely affecting the functioning of the provincial government institutions. In such a situation the ultimate sufferer was the general public.
It was revealed that there were 25 posts of BS-21 in Sindh, of them 16 posts belonged to PAS as their share. However currently, only five officers of PAS were working and 11 posts [of BS-21] were vacant.
Similarly, out of 142 sanctioned posts of BS-20, the PAS has a share of 67 posts but only 19 officers are working, and 48 posts are vacant. Out of 277 posts of grade BS-19 the PAS has a share of 59 posts against which only 25 officers are working, and 34 posts are vacant.
The Chief Minister said that in order to ensure smooth functioning of government institutions filling up of at least important positions was sine qua non for the effective and efficient service delivery system.
The heavy shortfall of 140 PAS officers has happened because the federal government is reluctant to transfer them to Sindh against their share, the meeting was told.
It was pointed out that the details of posts in the share of PAS, working strength and shortfall, were roughly worked out for the last six years. “The average figures for the last three years give a very grim picture as far as the availability of PAS officers in BS-19 and above is concerned – the Sindh government remained deficient by over 50 percent in BS-21, over 75 percent in BS-20 and 80 percent in BS-19,” it was revealed.
The cabinet, keeping in view the acute shortage of officers, decided to declare 11 posts of BS-21, including that of Chairman Planning & Development Board, Chairman CM Inspection & Enquiries Team, Chairman Anti-Corruption Establishment and Commissioner Karachi Division as floating posts in BS-20/BS-21.
On declaring such posts in BS-20/BS-21, the same can be filled from amongst BS-20 officers of PAS, Ex-PCS and PSS also on the basis of seniority.
Water shortage: Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro told the cabinet that the IRSA authorities have allowed transfer of water from Indus System to Jhelum-Chenab System through C-J and T-P Link Canals, as a result not only the standing crops were turning pale but the fear of shortage of drinking water has emerged. The cabinet urged the IRSA to stop flowing water into Jhelum-Chenab system and release water to Sindh.
Load shedding: Minister Energy Imtiaz Shaikh took up the issue of prolonged load shedding in the rural areas of the province. He said that the old transformers installed in the rural areas usually burnt, and their repair took four to five weeks, as a result poor people suffer a lot.
The cabinet urged the power distribution companies to overhaul their system and install new transformers in their system, particularly in the rural area.
Amendments: The cabinet was told that Provincial Benevolent Fund Board (PBFB) was custodian of the benevolent fund and catered to the claims of subsistence allowance across provinces. The allowance is offered to the widow of the deceased government servant.
The chief secretary pointed out that the rules (Rule 10 of part-I and Rule 9 of Party-II) PBFB were silent on widower being the beneficiary. Therefore, the cabinet approved the amendment in the rule now it would be read as “Such grant shall be subject to the condition that the `widow’ or widower, shall, each month furnish to the Board a certificate in the form. On remarriage the grant shall cease forthwith.
It may be noted that an amount of Rs.5 billion is lying in the fund, out of which 45608 beneficiaries, including 41,532 non-gazetted and 3,634 gazetted were taking benefit. The fund pays to the family of deceased or invalidated government servants at the rate of Rs.2000 for grade BS-1 to 15, Rs2500 for BS-16-19 and Rs3000 for BS-20-21.
Minister Women Development Department Shehla Raza requested the cabinet to approve merger of Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2013 and its Rules 2016 with Child Protection Authority Act 2011 and amendment in the Bill 2021 of Social Welfare department.
The minister said that that the Child Marriage Restraint Act was initiated by the Women Development Department, but Women Development Department deals with female of age of 18 years and above and have proper residential places in shape of Dar-ul-Aman. The Girls under the age of 18 cannot be accommodated with elder ladies in Darul Aman.
The Social Welfare Department has facilities of Child protection units/ centers all over Sindh, therefore the cabinet approved the merger.
The cabinet also approved the rules of Animal Health Act presented by Minister Fisheries & Livestock Bari Pitafi. (PR)
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