Karachi municipal deptts seek Rs 4bn from Sindh govt to clear salary dues   

KARACHI: Municipal departments in Karachi have demanded for a special grant from Sindh government as their employees remain deprived of their salaries and pensions during coronavirus lockdown, ARY NEWS reported.

According to details, the employees and pensioners of Karachi Development Authority (KDA), Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), Malir Development Authority (MDA), Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) and Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) are deprived of their salaries and pensions.

The municipal departments have asked the provincial authorities to provide an amount of over four billion rupees to clear the dues of their employees.

The KWSB has asked for Rs 1.5 billion, KDA demanded Rs 350 million while the SBCA sought an amount of Rs 450 million from provincial local government authorities to pay off the salary and pension-related dues.

The KDA officials said that they were unable to make recoveries from the city due to lockdown. “It is due to closure of recovery and other municipal offices that we are unable to pay off pensions and salaries,” they said.

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On April 01, Sindh government released monthly funds collected in terms of Octroi Zila Tax (OZT) to the province-wide union councils of the local government.

According to details, the provincial finance department also released the financial share of the municipal corporations, district councils, town and municipal committees.

The overall funds released to the local bodies structure in the province is worth over Rs two billion. The local bodies’ councils will pay off pensions and salaries of their staffers through the released amount.

It also directed to carry out deductions from the salaries of employees in Sindh Building Control Authority, Sindh Solid Waste Management Board and Karachi Development Authority for coronavirus relief fund.