KARACHI, March 14: Sindh Revenue Minister Irfan Gul Magsi said on Wednesday that soon 803 old goths would be regularized in Karachi and ownership rights would be given to their residents.

The minister said keeping in view the population growth rate in Karachi, the city and provincial governments were working jointly to develop new townships.

Referring to the Goth Abad Scheme, he said it was going on in a transparent manner. In first phase of this scheme, ownership certificates would be given to 1,310 goths in Tharparkar, 1,050 in Naushero Feroze, 828 in Shikarpur, 1,276 in Jacobabad and 2,197 in Tando Allahyar. More goths in other districts would also be regularised, he added.

He assured that all basic facilities would be extended to people at regularized slums and model villages would also be set up to eliminate impression of rural-urban difference.

The minister noted that the revenue department greatly contributed to the national exchequer, hence putting it on modern lines would be the first priority of the government. He said 80 offices of registration department were working across the province, which collectively generated revenue of Rs4.5 billion. Under the new system, he said, the revenue department had been put under administrative control of provincial government. The revenue department registered 170,000 documents in 2003 and 2004 while 265,000 in 2005 and 2006.

He said concrete steps were underway for the improvement of department. This included computerisation of registration system to stop irregularities. Moreover, the auto machine system had also started functioning, he added.

He said that public complaints would be disposed of in a transparent manner in accordance with rules and regulations. He reiterated that action against land mafia elements would continue and government land would be protected at all cost.—PPI