Floods: Sindh cabinet approves Rs50bn for construction of damaged houses

KARACHI: The Sindh cabinet on Wednesday approved Rs 50 billion for the construction of houses damaged during the recent heavy rains and subsequent floods, ARY News reported.

According to details the meeting held under the chairmanship of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah approved Rs 50 billion for the construction of damaged houses for flood-affected people.

“Each and every owner of the damaged house would be given Rs 50,000 to start construction, and when the construction would reach the plinth level the remaining amount of Rs 250,000 would be transferred to his bank account to complete the construction,” the CM decided in consultation with the cabinet members.

This was disclosed by Minister Information Sharjeel Inam Memon while addressing a press conference at Sindh Archives Building.

CM Advisor on Agriculture Manzoor Wassan apprised the cabinet that 3.6 million acres of standing crops had been damaged in the recent floods and the farmers had suffered losses worth Rs 421 billion.

Wassan said that it was agreed to begin with the provision of free wheat seed for which Rs. 13.5 billion were required. He added that the Sindh govt provided Rs. 8.39 billion while the federal govt was contributing Rs. 4.7 billion.

Talking about the mechanism to reimburse the funds of Rs 5000 per acre, Wassan said that Taluka and district committees were formed. A Provincial Committee is established at DG, Agriculture Extension.

The cabinet also approved Rs 50 billion for Sindh People’s Housing for Flood affectees (SPFH) to be used for Retrospective Financing for spending the amount on fully damaged houses for the time being so that project may start disbursement till the World Bank financing was available.

The cabinet decided that the funds for the owner of a damaged house would be given Rs 50,000 for starting the construction. When the construction would attain the plinth level the remaining amount of Rs 250,000 would be disbursed.

The cabinet decided to engage well-reputed NGOs so that the entire process could be made transparent.

It may be noted that 1.7 million houses have been damaged by the flood and the construction of all the damaged houses would cost Rs 160 billion, of them the World Bank has pledged Rs 110 billion, and the remaining amount is being arranged by the provincial government from the federal government and through sources and donors.