CM Sindh approves scheme turning coal mining affectees into beneficiaries

Each affected family to receive at least Rs100,000 in shares each year, says CM

KARACHI: Chief Minister (CM) Murad Ali Shah has approved a scheme to turn the affectees of the Thar Coal Mining project into beneficiaries of the project by giving them a share of the project for the next 30 years.
He approved this scheme while presiding over a meeting at CM House on Saturday. The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Rizwan Memon, Planning and Development Chairperson Muhammad Waseem, Principal Secretary to the CM Sohail Rajput, Finance Secretary Hassan Naqvi and others.

The CM said that with the establishment of the Thar Coal Mining project, around 1,700 villagers of the area of Thar Coal Block-II have been affected. "We have already managed to provide them shelter, a house to each affected family and all the basic facilities of education, health, water and sanitation," he said, adding that a mosque and temple are also being constructed so villagers can practice their respective faiths.



The CM said that on the directives of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the affectees of the area must have ownership of the project in the shape of shares. "The provincial government will dilute its share to give them to the affected people," he said.

Shah said that each affected family will receive at least Rs100,000 share each year and the amount will keep increasing. "We have provided jobs to the affected families in the Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC) and even women of the area have been employed there," he said.



The Sindh government owns 54% shares in the SECMC. The Sindh government, along with its partner, M/s Engro is going to celebrate the completion of 50% work on September 12. The celebration programme will be attended by a large number of investors, both national and international, notable personalities and bureaucrats. The ceremony will be held at the mine in Block-II.

By giving shares to the affected people of the coal mining project, the PPP government in Sindh has made history, the CM said.