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Rural uplift project extended THE Bahawalpur Rural Development Project (BRDP) has so far achieved about 90 per cent physical performance since its launching in 1997. BRDP was initiated by the Punjab government with a total financial outlay of Rs2266.71 million. The financial assistance of Rs1,330 million is being provided by the Asian Development Bank and Rs245 million by the Islamic Development Bank. The contribution of the Punjab government and beneficiaries (communities) is Rs306.40 million and Rs385.26 million, respectively. The period of the project was fixed for six years (from June 1997-98 to June 2002-03), which has now been extended up to June, 2004, with a further indication of its extension up to June, 2005. BRDP is a multi-sectoral, demand-driven and community-based project covering the three districts of Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar and Rahimyar Khan of defunct Bahawalpur division. It is meant to bring a positive change in the attitude and behaviour of the participating communities, create a sense of belonging and inculcate a spirit of self-reliance among them at all stages of implementation and promote thereafter its proper operation and maintenance. The power of decision-making and execution rests with the community. The progress of all projects initiated by BRDP is dependent on an integrated effort of all stakeholders i.e. community, NGOs and the departments concerned. The project has four components; roads, (rural), water courses improvement, rural electrification and small-scale infrastructure. In the small scale infrastructure projects, a large number of women and women’s organizations have been involved in household income-generating activities on a matching grant basis. In the coming years, preferably up to June, 2005, BRDP has a target to complete 600 kilometres of rural roads, electrify 425 rural areas and improve 680 water courses. In addition, 560 small projects, including 40 exclusively for rural women, are to be completed. The stress is on the training of rural women, who will be skilled in agri-based small self-financed projects. * * * * * THERE is a move to shift the PTCL’s telegraph office and PCO having facilities of international fax and telex. The private owner of the rented building has served a notice for its vacation. The PTCL officials are reportedly planning to take the telegraph office and the PCO near Cinema Chowk. Library Chowk, their present location, is the best suited to the public as it is around the Farid Gate, which is a commercial centre of the thickly-populated Walled City. Government offices and educational institutions and their hostels are also located there. The telegraph office was shifted from Farid Gate to Library Chowk when there was no building available on rent around Farid Gate. Private PCOs charge heavily even for local calls, leave alone outstations and foreign countries. If the telegraph office is shifted, the people will be at the loss and there will be a shortfall in the revenue of PTCL. A suitable private building is available near Farid Gate for the PTCL, and its officials have also been negotiating over the rent with its owners. The people have expressed concern over the move and, instead, demanded that the TO should be shifted around Farid Gate. * * * * * KHANPUR city was recently hit by a downpour, a total 126 millimetres rain fall was recorded in 13 hours. This played havoc with the people and claimed lives, besides resulting in the demolition of hundreds of mud houses. The affected people of low-lying areas like Gharibabad, Dahar Colony, Pakistan Colony, Riaz Town, Madina Town and Malikabad are now living under the open sky at various places. In many areas, the people have sought shelter in government buildings. The sewerage system is chocked and with the stagnant water in the streets, many areas are threatened with the outbreak of diseases. The affected people have not so far been provided any relief by any government department. They have asked the Rahimyar Khan district government and the Punjab government to conduct a survey of their losses, pay them compensation and declare the city and suburbs as calamity-hit so that they may get monetary assistance from the government. Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)
