Murad directs departments to get relevant SNEs approved

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Thursday directed all departments, particularly the Education and Health, to get their Scheduled New Expenditures (SNEs) for new posts approved forthwith in order to make the newly completed schemes functional in public interest.

He said this while presiding over a joint meeting of the Health and Education Departments with P&D and Finance Departments at the CM’s House. The meeting was attended by Health Minister Dr Azra Pechuho, Education Minister Syed Sardar Shah, Parliamentary Secretary on Health Qasim Soomro, Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput, P&D Chairman Hassan Naqvi, PSCM Fayaz Jatoi, Finance Secretary Sajid Jamal Abro, and secretaries concerned.

The chief minister in his previous meetings with different departments had observed that the schemes were being completed but the approval of their SNEs was hanging in the balance. As a result, the schemes – despite being completed – remained non-functional, and this made him arrange a joint meeting of departments concerned to simplify the procedures of SNEs’ approval.

P&D officials told the chief minister that under the practice the SNEs were processed by the departments concerned when their schemes were completed. The justification for the creation of new posts under the SNE was discussed, therefore it took time, and the CM was informed.

At this, the chief minister directed Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput to simplify the procedure for approval of the SNEs. He suggested the chief secretary develop a checklist of the posts so that SNEs could be put up along with the approval of the schemes. The chief secretary said he would hold a joint meeting of Finance and P&D Departments for evolving a simple system for approval of the posts and their releases in time.

Murad also directed the Education and Health Departments to rationalise their posts and send or transfer additional or surplus staff to the newly completed schemes so that they could be made functional.

Hanif Samoon is a senior journalist based at Thar/Badin and contributes reports from different districts of Sindh to Minute Mirror. He has won a number of awards, including the Agahi Award twice for his stories on health and child rights. He tweets @HanifSamoon1 and can be reached through email at [email protected]