News
Monday, September 17, 2012
Raja announces Rs 2bn for flood-hit Sindh* PM orders immediate release of Rs 700m
* Asks NDMA to provide 25,000 tents, food, medicines to victims
SUKKUR: Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf on Sunday visited flood-hit areas of Jacobabad, Shikarpur and Kandhkot districts and announced a Rs 2 billion relief package for the affected people.
Raja, who had come on a one-day visit to witness damages caused by floods, directed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to provide at least 25,000 tents, food, medicines and all other facilities to the flood-affected people of Kashmore and Jacobabad districts.
He also directed for the immediate release of Rs 710 million for these areas. The amount included Rs 200 million each for Kashmore and Jacobabad, Rs 70 million for Ghotki, and Rs 100 million each for Sukkur and Mirpurkhas.
Raja said the federal and Sindh governments would offer all kinds of support to the flood-affected people to help them recover from the disaster.
He said he had seen the damages caused by the heavy rains and assured that the federal government was taking necessary measures to ensure that basic facilities were provided to the people and that their sufferings were mitigated.
“I have asked the NDMA and other departments concerned to assist in the rescue and relief efforts,” he said.
The prime minister took an aerial view of Shikarpur, Garhi Yaseen, Tangwani, Ghouspur, Thull, Garhi Khero and other affected areas of the province.
He assured all possible support to the farmers of the districts, whose crops were destroyed by the rains.
“I feel very sad that the people of Sindh have once again become victim of a natural disaster,” he said and added that the people of the area were brave and resilient and faced difficult situations with courage and determination.
The prime minister also directed that the same relief package also be finalised for the flood-hit areas of south Punjab and Balochistan. He said that all children, old people and women should get relief.
The prime minister appreciated the role of the armed forces and provincial governments in the relief and rescue operations.
The district coordination officers of Jacobabad and Kashmore briefed the prime minister about the rescue and relief efforts and needs for financial assistance for the rehabilitation of the flood victims.
Raja urged parliamentarians and political leadership to reach out to the people in the devastated areas and lead the rescue and relief operations with missionary zeal and selflessness.
He appreciated the efforts made by the provincial government, especially the prompt response by Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, who had been supervising the rescue and relief operations and visiting the areas.
Earlier, Larkana Commissioner Dr Saeed Ahmed Mangnejo briefed the prime minister about the flood situation and the measures taken for relief and rescue operation.
He said the present floods were more severe than those that hit Sindh last year.
He said that the magnitude and gravity of the devastation caused by the floods could be gauged from the fact that so far 73 people had lost their lives and 3,000 had been injured. He said 75 percent standing crops had been damaged while 150,000 houses had been affected.
Mangnejo said nearly three million people had been affected out of a population of nine million in the six affected districts.
Earlier, the prime minister arrived at Sukkur airport along with Interior Minister Rehman Malik and other officials. He was received by Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, MNAs and MPAs. app/staff report
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk