KARACHI, June 18: The Sindh Katchi Abadis Authority governing body on Monday approved the budget of Rs104.174 million for the financial year 2007-08. Chairing the governing body meeting, Sindh Minister for Local Government and Spatial Development Muhammad Hussain Khan said the budget of Sindh Katchi Abadis Authority was raised from Rs45.317 million to Rs104.174 million, which was a remarkable achievement. He said Rs47.5 million (around 48 per cent of the total budget) had been allocated for various development projects of Katchi Abadis.

He said that Rs18 million had been earmarked for katchi abadis in Karachi, Rs5.5 million for Hyderabad, Rs10.5 million for Sukkur and Rs6 million had been earmarked for katchi abadis in Larkana.

The minister ordered that the low cost housing project of Sasti Basti should be extended in each district of the province.

Mentioning that all notified katchi abadis that existed before 1985 would be provided lease documents, he said that more than 270 katchi abadis were being given lease documents while provision of ownership rights in 46 settlements had been completed. The housing projects for shelter-less and homeless people would also be initiated, he added.

Sindh Local Government Secretary Fazlur Rehman said a comprehensive plan about the housing projects should be chalked out and presented before the governing body of Sindh Katchi Abadi Authority for approval.

SKAA Director-General Ahmed Ali informed the provincial minister that an amount of Rs15 million had been earmarked for the low-cost housing in the next financial year.

Director Finance Javed Khan presented the figures of budget for the next financial year.

MPAs Naeem Ishtiaq, Mehmood Ahmed Jamote, Sukkur Nazim Nasir Hussain Shah, Larkana Nazim Ahmed Bukhsh Arejo, DCO Larkana and other members of governing body were also present.—PPI