‘2.1m houses being built for flood victims’

Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon has said that decisions regarding the housing project for flood victims were made during an important meeting of the Sindh Cabinet.

He said, following the complaints from people that their names were not included, surveys were conducted by the Army, Rangers, and private parties, and arrangements have been made to collect their data. A total of 2.1 million houses are being built for the flood victims in the province, he said.

At a press conference after the cabinet meeting, the senior minister announced that Rani Bagh Hyderabad is being revived under the public-private partnership for which the master plan has been approved. The government aims to provide recreational facilities for children, he said and added that the cabinet meeting also approved the recruitment of teachers at Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical College, Lyari.

He said, previously, people used to drive vehicles without registration for years, but this will no longer be allowed. He said that the federal government has allowed the export of 150,000 tons of sugar. The cabinet has given conditional approval for the export of sugar, including the quota from Sindh, which is currently under a stay order. As soon as the stay order is lifted, the government will proceed with exporting the sugar.

Sharjeel said that approval was given for the establishment of Infant and Young Child Board and the construction of another bridge on Manchhar Lake and the Indus Highway. The construction of these two bridges would cost Rs2.3 billion. It was also decided to secure health insurance for employees of the Sindh Assembly and Secretariat from the State Life Company. Additionally, a campus of IBA Sukkur is being built in Ghotki, which will provide quality education to the local community, he mentioned.

In response to a question, Sharjeel assured that all departments of the Sindh government are prepared and operational to manage the challenges posed by monsoon rains. Sharjeel emphasised the importance of constructing the National Highway and Motorway from Sukkur to Hyderabad. Regarding the narcotics bill, he stated that the law department is currently reviewing it.

Speaking at the conference, Minister for Minerals and Education Sardar Shah emphasised that the issue of mining in Nangar Park has persisted for a long time. The People's Party firmly believes that local development must align with the will of the community. Mining of granite will not proceed without the consent of the local residents, he said.