Daily Times

Due to non release of funds since last March, Sindh Workers Welfare Board (SWWB) cut all its major welfare expenditures since last March and if the transfer of funds to SWWB is not timely, it could face monetary challenges after June 30.

This was revealed during a briefing to Caretaker Minister for Labor and Human Resources Simon John Daniel at SWWB head office on Wednesday.

On the occasion, SWWB secretary Syed Mehdi Shah, finance director Anwer Ausaf, assistant secretary education Ms. Nuzhat Habib, deputy director of welfare Ahtisham, and deputy director technical Muzafar Shah made a detailed briefing on budget, development, education and welfare measures.

During the briefing, SWWB Secretary Syed Mehdi Shah said that the governing body had completed its term and owing to delay in the reconstitution of a new governing body, SWWB was unable to present budget for the financial year 2018-19. He added that the procedure of fund transfers to SWWB had been altered without bringing it into the notice of board.

”When we approached Sindh Revenue Board (SRB) for the transfer of funds collected from industrial units under Sindh Worker Welfare Fund, we were advised to approach finance department for release of funds . We were told that SRB had transferred funds amounting to around Rs2 billion to the finance department ,”said Syed Mehdi Shah.

He added that formerly, workers fund were directly transferred to SWWB by the SRB.

Mr. Shah explained that at present funds were being collected from companies and industrial units on the basis of old minimum wages.

Shah added that the minimum wage had been increased from Rs3000 per month to Rs15000 per month. He said that the relevant rules for collection of workers fund needed to be amended as the minimum wage had been raised.

Caretaker Labour Minister Simon John Daniel then assured the board that he would raise this important issue with higher authorities of Sindh government.

He said that also directed the relevant officials to convene a joint meeting of labor secretary and SWWB administration with secretary finance on urgent basis to resolve this matter.

Caretaker minister for Labour Simon John Daniel said that workers were the key stakeholders of our country’s economy adding that if workers prosper, the country would progress.

Published in Daily Times, June 28^th 2018.