KARACHI: Proper town planning for uplift works needed: CM
KARACHI, May 23: Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim on Monday called for effective town planning so that development of big and small cities in the Sindh could be carried out in accordance with all the present and future requirements of the population.
He was speaking at a briefing held at the Chief Minister’s House with regard to the schemes proposed under the National Economic Council and Annual Development Programme.
He pointed out that condition of all cities in Sindh, in terms of basic and other essential facilities, was bad. They neither have good roads, nor an efficient water supply and drainage system, nor correct alignment of streets and alleys. As a result of this, people face problems every day.
“Every city of Sindh is in a mess and this warrants correct planning for implementation of development projects,” he said.
The chief minister said that basic health centres, rural health centres and most taluka hospitals were provided with x-ray machines, ultrasound machines and other equipment by the provincial government, but these remained unutilized and at many places, these were still lying packed. He ordered that until further order, no new machine be sent to any health centre.
He announced that special package would be offered to those doctors and paramedical staff willing to discharge their services in remote areas of the province. He pledged earmarking big funds for the purpose in the next budget.
The meeting was informed that the government had already approved an additional 50-70 per cent of salary as incentive to the doctors working in rural areas.
Dr Arbab agreed with the proposal that condition of domicile be retained in respect of recruitment and it should be made mandatory to doctors and teachers to work at their place of domicile for four years.
He said that in order to bring about improvement in the performance of police, their housing needs would have to be met and construction of police station buildings would also have to be undertaken on a priority basis.
He noted that work on Mithi Police Line was not carried out as per the laid down standards. Similar complaints, he added, had been received with regard to other such projects also.
The meeting was informed that this year, the funds for police department schemes had been raised from Rs50 million to Rs95 million. It was further stated that out of 90 police stations in Karachi, 42 were pucca structures. While 14 more police stations were under-construction, work on the CID Complex was also in progress.
The IG Police informed the meeting that crime rate in the province had come down significantly as the Motorway Police had joined in the patrolling by Sindh Police on Super Highway. The number of check-posts along the other highways was also being increased, he added.
In Karachi, only 11 per cent police employees have been extended housing facility while the city has only five police lines, according to him.
The chief minister directed the participants that a new site be selected for Bahadurabad Police Station and construction work be started.
The chief minister favoured the construction of small dams on the pattern of those in the Punjab.
The schemes related to education, health, law and order, irrigation and other sectors were also considered at the meeting and it was decided that one more meeting would be held for further consideration.
Provincial Minister for Planning and Development Shoaib Ahmed Bukhari, Chief Secretary Fazlur Rehman, Additional Chief Secretary (Planning and Development) Ghulam Sarwar Khero, Additional Chief Secretary Local Government Mohammad Saleem Khan, Senior Member Board of Revenue Syed Anwar Haider and secretaries of various department also attended the meeting.—APP/PPI
