Sindh approves bus service project, subsidy for Kharif crop

KARACHI: Sindh Cabinet on Thursday approved purchase of 250 hybrid buses for Sindh Intra District People’s Bus Service, ARY News reported.

A session of the provincial cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah was given a briefing on the bus service project.

These buses will run in Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, Mirpur Khas and Shaheed Benazirabad, the meeting was briefed.

Sindh government had allocated eight billion rupees for the project in fiscal year 2020-2021, while in 2021-2022 6.4 billion rupees have been earmarked, the cabinet informed.

“The project when become operational, it will create 3000 vacancies,” the meeting told.

The cabinet approved the proposal of procurement of buses for the project, which will arrive from China in December. The NRTC will invest for bus terminals and other facilities.

The cabinet also approved subsidy to farmers for Kharif crop. The meeting was briefed that the federal government has approved subsidy for the Kharif crop.

The subsidy will be given to small farmers, divided into two slabs i.e. A-category of farmers having upto 16 acres of land, while the B-category will be the farmers having over 16 acres to 50 acres of land.

The government will give 1500 rupees per acre subsidy for ADP fertilizer, paddy and cotton crops to farmers.

“Federal government and the Sindh government would have a ratio of 75:25 percent share in the subsidy,” according to the briefing. Moreover, 1200 rupees per acre subsidy will be given over the paddy and cotton seeds.

A subsidy of 1200 rupees per acre will also be given to farmers to control the white fly, the meeting was informed.

“The Board of Revenue (BoR) has collected the data of farmers on taluka level and the subsidy will be given to them through the Sindh Bank,” the cabinet further briefed. “Sindh Bank will issue the People’s Hari Card for release of the subsidy,” the meeting was informed.