KARACHI: The Sindh cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, on Tuesday approved a broad package of development initiatives covering water supply, drainage, urban infrastructure, energy, health, education and security sectors, including Rs8.825 billion in additional funding for water and drainage schemes across the province.
The meeting at the CM House, attended by provincial ministers, advisers, special assistants, the chief secretary and senior officials, approved the allocation on the recommendations of the Cabinet Committee on Finance, presented by Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Shah. Of the total, Rs6.206 billion will be reappropriated from the Annual Development Programme (ADP) block allocation, while Rs2.618 billion will come from other development funds.
The chief minister directed departments to ensure timely completion of formalities and payment of dues within the current financial year.
Separately, the cabinet approved 11 non-ADP infrastructure schemes under the Karachi Mega Project worth Rs11.198 billion, to be financed through the ADP 2025–26 New Development Initiatives. The projects include rehabilitation and improvement of key roads and transport corridors across Karachi, such as Haji Ibrahim Essa Road, Haji Camp Road, Korangi Link Road, Clifton roads connecting Marine Drive, Mehran and Pajero roads in Scheme-33, Korangi Creek Airbase Road, extension of Jinnah Avenue in Gulzar-e-Hijri, and Baldia Stadium Road linking Shahrah-e-Orangi to Hub River Road.
The package also includes construction of two major bridges at Power House Chowrangi in North Karachi and 4-K Chowrangi in Surjani Town to improve traffic flow and connectivity. An initial Rs560 million, around five percent of the total project cost, has been released for early execution in the current fiscal year.
The cabinet further approved a Rs485 million scheme for the rehabilitation and uplift of Dargah Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, Lal Bagh and Civic Centre in Sehwan, with an initial Rs24.25 million allocated for the current year.
The chief minister reaffirmed the government’s focus on improving urban infrastructure and ensuring transparent use of public funds.
In a key financial decision, the cabinet approved a new framework to receive Sindh’s constitutionally mandated 12.5 percent natural gas royalty in kind on a field-to-field basis. The hybrid arrangement, aligned with constitutional and petroleum laws, will allow selected fields to shift from cash to in-kind payments, while others remain under the existing system.
The government estimates the move could generate over Rs26 billion annually through improved monetisation and market-linked pricing of royalty gas. An inter-departmental committee headed by the energy secretary has been formed to finalise policy recommendations within 30 days.
In the health sector, the cabinet approved the release of Rs395.019 million to Integrated Health Services (IHS) to settle verified liabilities linked to 111 outsourced healthcare facilities managed under a public-private partnership from 2016 to 2021. The decision follows a detailed review that excluded unverified claims, while earlier payments of Rs425.713 million had already been released.
The cabinet also approved the Sindh Nursing Workforce Strategic Policy 2026–2040, aimed at addressing staffing shortages, training gaps and infrastructure challenges in the province’s healthcare system. Officials noted that Sindh currently has 34,817 registered nursing-related staff, with a nurse density of 0.63 per 1,000 population, far below WHO benchmarks.
The policy outlines reforms in admissions, curriculum, faculty development, licensing, career progression and the establishment of modern nursing colleges and simulation labs.
Additionally, the cabinet approved a revised procurement plan worth Rs857.024 million for the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), aimed at strengthening operational capacity in response to evolving security needs.
