Almost all flood-hit got help thru’ Watan cards, CM told

LAHORE: The Punjab government claims that distribution of Watan cards among the flood-affected people has almost been completed and 95 per cent calamity-stricken people have received the assistance through this transparent process.

The provision of free fertilizers and seeds to the farmers of flood-hit areas will be completed by Nov 30 as well.

The claims were made in a meeting held here on Sunday to review construction of model villages in the flood-hit areas, distribution of Watan cards and provision of free fertilizers and seeds to the affected farmers. The meeting, presided over by Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, also reviewed provision of quilts, blankets and warm clothes to the flood-hit people.

Senator Parvaiz Rashid, MNA Afzal Khokhar, Arshad Leghari, MPA Khwaja Salman Rafiq, chief secretary, senior member, Board of Revenue, chairman, planning & development, secretaries of agriculture, housing, information, chief executive officer of Punjab Rural Support Programme and Punjab Disaster Management Authority director general were present.

The chief minister commended the role of elected representatives and administration in making arrangements and adopting a ‘transparent mechanism’ for the distribution of Watan cards among the flood-affected people.

He said provision of Watan Card to every calamity-stricken person had been ensured and Nov 30 was set as the deadline for the completion of this process. However, he said, this date should be extended by 15 days to address any complaints.

He said elected representatives should visit the affected areas and address any complaint regarding provision of Watan cards to deserving persons with the cooperation of concerned administration.

He said due to fast-changing weather, distribution of warm clothes, blankets and quilts among the affected people should be given top priority and the campaign for the collection of woolies should also be expedited.

He said the donations made to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund would also be spent on the construction of model villages, equipped with modern facilities. He said a comprehensive plan for the construction of model villages should be given final shape within next three days and contracts should be awarded in this regard.

CS Nasir Mehmood Khosa, BoR Senior Member Akhlaq Ahmad Tarrar, Agriculture Secretary Capt (retired) Arif Nadeem and PDMA DG Khalid Sherdil gave detailed briefings regarding distribution of Watan cards, free seeds and fertilizers as well as quilts and blankets in the flood-hit areas.

Agriculture secretary told the meeting the first phase of distribution of free seeds and fertilizers to the farmers was completed on November 16 while the second phase would conclude by Nov 30.

Mr Sherdil said 40,000 blankets and quilts had been distributed among the flood victims, while 10,000 quilts and blankets would be provided to the flood-hit areas of Muzaffargarh within next couple of days.

He said 1,372 centers had been set up in educational institutions and other places for the collection of warm clothes for the flood-hit people.

Construction work of 36 model villages had been started at different places while work on another 21 such dwellings would soon be initiated, he added. —Staff Reporter