KARACHI: CM pledges more uplift projects in province
KARACHI, Sept 25: Sindh Chief Minister Sardar Ali Mohammad Mahar said on Thursday that the government attaches top priority to accelerating development activities, including setting up of new medical and engineering colleges in the province.
The government would ensure that these development projects were completed in prescribed time, he said, while talking to some members of provincial assembly, who met him at the Chief Minister’s house.
“The development projects recommended by the elected representatives are examined and included in the planning process,” he told the MPAs, who apprised the chief minister of problems faced by the people of their respective areas.
Referring to President Gen Musharraf’s recent Rs29 billion package for Karachi, and Rs10.5 billion for Hyderabad, he hoped, these would help develop both the cities.
The MPAs, who met the chief minister, included Dr Manzoor Leghari, Dr Ramesh Kumar, Dr Rajweer Singh and Abdul Razaq Rahmoon, who expressed full confidence in his leadership.
Mr Mahar, accepting an invitation by Dr Manzoor Leghari to visit Johi area of Dadu district, said he would soon meet the people of Kachho to know and solve their problems.
Meanwhile, Syed Shahbuddin Shah and other leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League on Thursday met Sindh chief minister Sardar Ali Muhammad Khan Mahar to discuss political and other matters.
The chief minister said the unification of different PML groups was a good omen for the country. He stressed the need to employ locals in the industrial organizations of the province.
Provincial ministers Usman Malkani, Pir Sadaruddin Shah, Manzoor Panhwar, Chaudhry Iftekhar, Irfan Gul Magsi, Irfan Marwat, Altaf Unnar and Saeeda Malik, advisors Aijaz Sheerazi and Waseem Akhtar, former minister Syed Qabool Muhammad Shah, Naib city Nazim Tariq Hassan Khan, managing director Marri Gas Company Lt-Gen Muhammad Afzal Janjua and others also met the chief minister.
SUMMARY APPROVED: Sindh Chief Minister Sardar Ali Mohammad Khan Maher on Thursday approved a summary, declaring 11 talukas of the Badin and Thatta districts in their entirety, as well as 116 dehs in the above two districts as well as Thatta and Tharparkar districts as calamity-affected areas.
These areas were declared calamity-hit areas under Section 3 of the Sindh National Calamities (Prevention and Relief) Act 1958.
The area-wise break-up of the calamity-hit areas is as follows: Five entire talukas — Badin, Tando Bago, Shaheed Fazal Rahu, Talhar and Matli — of the Badin district, five entire talukas — Jati, Shah Bunder, Ghorabari, Keti Bunder and Kharochan as well as 30 dehs of the Mirpur Sakro taluka, 25 dehs of the Mirpur Bathoro taluka, 19 dehs of the Sujawal taluka and 33 dehs of the Thatta taluka in Thatta district, entire Diplo taluka and nine dehs of the Mithi taluka of the Tharparkar district.
The Sindh government has declared remission of the Abiyana, agriculture income tax and other cess for Kharif crops 2003 besides postponing the recovery of the past year’s provincial government dues for one year.
Heavy rains and floods in July-August 2003 had wreaked widespread damage to life and property besides damaging standing crops and infrastructure in the area.
The Sindh government had constituted district relief committees, headed by ministers, advisors, members of assemblies, Nazims and representatives of the Pakistan Army vide notification dated Aug 11, while the local government had constituted survey teams to assess losses in their respective areas.—PPI
