Subsidy on seed, fertiliser offered

Growers holding land up to 25 acres eligible to avail facility, says CM Murad

KARACHI:

The Sindh government has decided to provide Rs5,000 per acre subsidy on seed and fertiliser to the flood-affected growers for Rabi Crop. The subsidies will be given in cooperation with the World Bank to the growers holding up to 25 acres of land.

This was decided at a meeting held on Wednesday between Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and a 13-member delegation of World Bank led by its Country Director Najy Benhassine at the CM House. Sindh cabinet members who attended the meeting included Manzoor Wassan, Sharjeel Memon, Mukesh Chawla, Imtiaz Shaikh, Murtaza Wahab and others.

During the meeting, the chief minister briefed the World Bank team about his government's efforts to deal with the flood situation and plan to provide subsidies on seed and fertiliser to the growers across the board. "We have incentivised the rabi crop, particularly the wheat so that next year's wheat requirement could be met," the CM said.

During the meeting, the issue of Yellow Line RBT also came under discussion.

The chief minister talking about the route of the Yellow Line said that the consultants have informed him about the structure condition of the existing Jam Sadiq Bridge.

"The consultants have recommended full-scale rehabilitation that would cost around $5.3 million," he said, adding that the proposal for the construction of a new 4-lane, one-kilometer bridge, adjacent to the existing Jam Sadiq Bridge was being worked out. The tender documents have been forwarded to the World Bank for approval.

Shah said, based on the World Bank Meeting and Project Steering Committee's directives, a detailed field survey was carried out on all the off-corridor routes, and our team reviewed Road & Drainage conditions on off-corridor routes in comparison with the local government department and DMC Korangi to avoid duplicity in the scope of works.

He added that the reports have been reviewed and discussed with the consultants, and now detailed Design & Bidding Documents for off-corridor were under preparation.

The meeting was also informed that the Sindh government has started Sindh Flood Emergency Rehabilitation Project and released Rs5.7 billion for the rehabilitation of Irrigation and Drainage Infrastructure damaged in flood 2022. The project has been launched with the financial assistance of the World Bank.

According to the officials, the work which will be carried out included plugging/closing and strengthening of breaches, relief cuts, and repair/replacement of pumps and motors at different pumping stations, and repair of small dams.

The CM said that the work would be completed by November 30 to ensure water availability during the rabi season.

The rehabilitation phase works include remodeling and rehabilitation of regulators, canals, drainage network, embankments, detention dams/weirs, and other irrigation infrastructure.

The chief minister said that all 36 emergent works have been awarded, 12 works have been completed, and 17 were in progress, while seven could not be started due to the water coming out from the cuts.

Shah said that the procurement process has been initiated and it is expected that work would be started by November 15, 2022.

The chief minister and the world bank also discussed the repair and rehabilitation of health facilities such as dispensaries, and hospitals.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 10^th, 2022.