KARACHI: The provincial cabinet on Friday decided to amend the Sindh Katchi Abadis Act to extend the cut-off date for regularisation of katchi abadis in the province from June 30, 1997 to Dec 31, 2011.

After the approval of the amendment, which is widely seen as a controversial move to give legitimacy to illegal katchi abadis being formed in the province, the settlements found existing up until Dec 31, 2011 will be regularised.

Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, who presided over the cabinet meeting at CM House, directed the Sindh Katchi Abadi Authority (SKAA) to revisit the regularisation act and remove ambiguities, if any, and table the agenda item in the next cabinet meeting.

The cabinet was told that the SKAA had inventoried 1,448 unauthorised settlements existing partially or entirely on government land on or before June 30, 1987 for declaration as katchi abadis under the Act, whereas a large number of unauthorised settlements had been established after the present cut-off date that is June 30, 1997, which could not be regularised under the present law.

Okays low-cost housing scheme for poor, affectees of anti-encroachment drives

Under the existing criteria for regularisation of katchi abadis, settlements could be regularised which are in existence on or before June 30, 1997.

The cabinet approved the amendment in the SKA Act, 1987 after it was informed that there was a dire need to extend the cut-off date for regularisation of katchi abadis from June 30, 1997 to Dec 31, 2011 to provide relief to dwellers of these shantytowns.

The meeting held here at CM House was attended by all ministers, advisers, special assistants, new Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput, chairman of planning and development board Hassan Naqvi and secretaries concerned.

The chief minister said that with an effective strategy of Pakistan Peoples Party leadership, a new government had come to power in the federal capital.

“This is a new era of cooperation, joint working and prosperity of the country,” he said.

Low-cost housing scheme

The SKAA also floated a proposal in the cabinet meeting to launch a low-cost housing scheme in Sindh for shelter-less people.

The people affected by anti-encroachment drives could be shifted to low-cost housing schemes.

The cabinet was told that the SKAA had already launched Sasti Basti schemes at different locations in Sindh.

The cabinet approved the proposal and directed the Board of Revenue to identify land in Sindh for the schemes and directed the SKAA to prepare a plan for its launch.

P&D chairman Hassan Naqvi briefed the cabinet on mid-year review of the Annual Development Programme 2021-22.

He said that overall Rs77.875 billion was released and Rs43.777bn of them was utilised.

He added that 825 out of 1,034 schemes would be completed during the current financial year, adding that 235 schemes had been reported as un-satisfactory.

The chief minister directed the P&D department not to release funds for such schemes and directed their re-examination.

Differently-abled persons

A committee for appointment of all categories of differently-abled persons was constituted, which presented its recommendations.

The committee recommended changes in the recruitment rules for persons with disabilities.

Published in Dawn, April 16th, 2022