KARACHI - The provincial ministers of the Sindh cabinet, while taking part in discussion on provincial budget, on Saturday complained that corruption was rampant in education, health and other sectors of the provincial government, which needs to be controlled with strict monitoring of expenditures.
Sindh Assembly, which met at 11am with Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza in the chair, took up question-hour pertained to Land Utilisation Department.
PPP’s new member Shahid Khan Thaheem took oath as MPA, who was elected from Shahdadpur, Sanghar provincial constituency, which fell vacant after the death of his father provincial minister Abdul Salam Thaheem.
Taking part in the budget discussion, Sindh Minister for Board of Revenue Department, Jam Mahtab Dahar said that millions of rupees were embezzled in the budget of hepatitis programme in Ghotki district.
The minister said that he had been approaching the education minister to take action to make functional the closed schools in his district. At least 58 schools are closed currently in his constituency while no action has been taken during last four years of the present government in this regard, he complained.  Dahar said that schools were opened for three-four days only to embezzle the funds of school management committees. He alleged that the district officers of education department and teachers have alliance to take away the government funds in their pockets.
He added that education officers also take money even from watchmen to transfer them to other areas against the rules, showing such letters of transfer posting as proof of corruption of officers.  Provincial Minister for Religious Affairs Department, Abdul Haseeb of MQM complained about meager allocation for religious affairs department in the budget, adding preach of religious teachings for peace and tolerance needed more funds to cater the increasing terrorism in the province.
Provincial Minister for Inter-provincial Coordination Department, Makhdoom Jamil Zaman of PPP counted the steps of the present government and termed the budget as pro-people.
Archives Minister Rafiq Engineer said elected representatives be given be given role to monitor the budget execution. He said hat the government should ensure the minimum wages in private sector.
He also demanded establishment of Trauma Centre and Technical School in Lyari. He said that Baloch-speaking people, who go for labour in different areas, either faced torture or killed by the terrorists. He demanded the government to search the terrorists involved in attack on Mohbat-e-Sindh Rally on May 22 in Karachi. 
Provincial Minister for Sports Dr Muhammad Ali Shah said sport activities play pivotal role in bringing down the crime but allocations for sports had been reduced in the provincial budget.
He informed the House that only 0.2 per cent allocation of the total budget has been earmarked for the sports department, demanding increase of 0.5 per cent.  He counted the sports grounds and activities initiated by him in the Sindh, adding that construction of sports complexes in Sindh had been completed by 70 per cent. However, few of them has not been completed due to shortage of funds. He added that first football and hockey stadium of international standard for women had been established in North Nazimabad.
He said the grant of Rs26 million was given to sports department of which Rs10 million were spent on salaries. He strongly objected to meagre allocation for his department. He argued why could the funds were not increased in the budget. MPA Khwaja Izharul Hassan of MQM said law and order had become worse while extortionists were roaming freely in the City with no crackdown from the law-enforcement agencies.  Minister for Rehabilitation Department Haji Muzaffar Shujra of PPP said that Sindhi-speaking population was deprived of drinking water facilities by the KWSB. He demanded action against the KWSB officials. 
MPA Marvi Rashdi of PML-F criticised the government over deteriorating law and order. She said Rs39.9 billion has been allocated for police but police has failed to control the law and order situation. She demanded the government to bring cut in the police budget and its salaries if they performed poor.  She praised the step of distribution of free of cost land but questioned that how the poor farmers cultivate without having required money.
MPA Waseem Hussain said budget funds should be released on population basis instead of particular districts.
Auqaf Minister Rafiq Bhanbhan said that people of his constituency were facing shortage of irrigation water as rotation in the canals causing delay as spoiling of standing crops.
Law Minister Ayaz Soomro said that despite the conspiracies, the government will continue serving the people. He also came down hard against the PML-N leadership and PTI chief Imran Khan.  Minister for Bureau of Supply and Prices Shoaib Bokhari, Minister for Fisheries Zahid Bhurgari, Minister for Power Shahzia Marri, Minister for Livestock Abid Hussain Jatoi, Minister for Minorities’ affair department Mohan Lal, Minister for Anti-corruption Abdul Haq Bhurt and others also delivered the speeches on budget.
Later, Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza adjourned the session to meet again on Monday (tomorrow) at 9.30am. She announced that provincial assembly will approve the budget for next fiscal on Monday (tomorrow).