From Zeeshan Mirza
KARACHI: 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) limited Karachi and also decided to transfer collection of property tax to SITE limited.
He took this decision in a meeting with the delegation of SITE Association led by Qasim Siraj Teli here at CM House on Monday.
The other delegation members were Zubair Motiwala, Suleman Chawla, Farhan Ashrafi, Jawed Bilwani, Saleem Parekh, Abdul Hadi, Abdul Rasheed. Provincial Ministers, Saeed Ghani, Jam Ikram, Nasir Shah, Advisor law Murtaza Wahab, Chairman P&D and others were also present on the occasion. The industrialists told the chief minister that the condition of the roads of SITE, Karachi was already dilapidated and they were further destroyed by recent heavy rains. They said that the roads were no more motorable these days, therefore transportation 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.
Sindh Minister for Industries Jam Ikram 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. The Sindh Small Industries was also facing the similar condition, he added.
The SITE Association delegation told the chief minister that the recovery of Property Tax of SITE, Karachi area be given to SITE so that the funds generated locally could be utilized on the development of SITE 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.
