KARACHI: The Provincial Government is considering revision of the land disposal policy of the KDA vis-à-vis the Government employees, especially the staff of the Sind Secretariat. Under the present policy, all the plots are to be sold through public auction except for a 10 per cent reservation for the defence personnel. Following the dismemberment of the One Unit, however, the Provincial Government has faced a very grave crisis on account of shortage of accommodation for the Secretariat staff.

Meanwhile, protests and representations have also been received from Central Government, semi-Government and autonomous bodies’ employees against the auction policy. The plea of the Government servants has been that they cannot afford to get lands in any KDA schemes in the open auction. Meanwhile, a couple of labour unions especially those of KMC and KDA have pressed the demand for more facilities to the members for building houses of their own.

The revised thinking in the Provincial Government, therefore, is to revive the old quota for the Government servants. The old quota (10 per cent) was primarily for the Central Government servants. Under the new scheme of things, however, the employees of the Sind Government, especially the Secretariat, might get preference — at least on short-term basis.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2020