Calamity rehabilitation: Distribution of cheques among flood victims begins
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif promises flood-prevention
LAHORE/WAZIRABAD:
The government will evolve a comprehensive strategy to prevent or mitigate losses from floods every year, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Wednesday.
He was addressing a ceremony held to launch the distribution of compensation cheques among the flood-affected people. Families affected by floods were given cheques of Rs 25,000 each.
“Pakistan is facing the brunt of climate change and we need a national committee on prevention of floods to examine the pattern of flooding. We want to put in place a mechanism to reduce the risk of floods,” the prime minister said.
He said that the government had to take some difficult decisions as resources were scarce.
He praised Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif for personally supervising the rescue and relief efforts.
He also commended the services rendered by the armed forces, police, Rescue 1122 and Irrigation and Agriculture Departments.
He urged the affluent to help the flood victims rebuild their homes by donating construction material, household goods, cooking utensils and clothing to help them restart their lives.
Shahbaz Sharif also visited Pindi Bhattian in Hafizabad, Shahpur in Sargodha, Phalia in Mandi Bahauddin, Wazirabad in Gujranwala and Sambrial in Sialkot on Wednesday. He distributed the cheques among the flood-affected people and reviewed the arrangements.
Addressing the gatherings, Shahbaz said that the government had fulfilled its promise of providing financial assistance to the flood-hit people before Eid.
“The payment of the second instalment of relief assistance will start from October 20 after a survey of losses. The government is also going to pay Rs1.6 million to families of people who died in the floods. The injured will be paid Rs100,000,” he said.
Minister for Excise and Taxation Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman distributed the cheques in Muridke and Ferozewala.
“The government is utilising all available resources for compensating the losses of flood-affected people. In the first phase, financial assistance is being given to 50,000 people.
In the second phase, compensation for losses of crops will be paid,” he said.
The minister said that the payment of compensation would be made through the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) facilities and the Bank of Punjab.
Rehman said that a transparent system had been evolved for the payment of financial assistance to the flood-hit people. “The process of payment of the first instalment has been started in 78 centres across the province. All the necessary facilities are being provided to flood-affected people at these centers. A control room has been established at the provincial level to supervise the distribution of relief assistance,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 2nd, 2014.
The government will evolve a comprehensive strategy to prevent or mitigate losses from floods every year, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Wednesday.
He was addressing a ceremony held to launch the distribution of compensation cheques among the flood-affected people. Families affected by floods were given cheques of Rs 25,000 each.
“Pakistan is facing the brunt of climate change and we need a national committee on prevention of floods to examine the pattern of flooding. We want to put in place a mechanism to reduce the risk of floods,” the prime minister said.
He said that the government had to take some difficult decisions as resources were scarce.
He praised Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif for personally supervising the rescue and relief efforts.
He also commended the services rendered by the armed forces, police, Rescue 1122 and Irrigation and Agriculture Departments.
He urged the affluent to help the flood victims rebuild their homes by donating construction material, household goods, cooking utensils and clothing to help them restart their lives.
Shahbaz Sharif also visited Pindi Bhattian in Hafizabad, Shahpur in Sargodha, Phalia in Mandi Bahauddin, Wazirabad in Gujranwala and Sambrial in Sialkot on Wednesday. He distributed the cheques among the flood-affected people and reviewed the arrangements.
Addressing the gatherings, Shahbaz said that the government had fulfilled its promise of providing financial assistance to the flood-hit people before Eid.
“The payment of the second instalment of relief assistance will start from October 20 after a survey of losses. The government is also going to pay Rs1.6 million to families of people who died in the floods. The injured will be paid Rs100,000,” he said.
Minister for Excise and Taxation Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman distributed the cheques in Muridke and Ferozewala.
“The government is utilising all available resources for compensating the losses of flood-affected people. In the first phase, financial assistance is being given to 50,000 people.
In the second phase, compensation for losses of crops will be paid,” he said.
The minister said that the payment of compensation would be made through the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) facilities and the Bank of Punjab.
Rehman said that a transparent system had been evolved for the payment of financial assistance to the flood-hit people. “The process of payment of the first instalment has been started in 78 centres across the province. All the necessary facilities are being provided to flood-affected people at these centers. A control room has been established at the provincial level to supervise the distribution of relief assistance,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 2nd, 2014.