A development package to the tune of Rs 100 million has been announced for the developmental schemes and provision of different facilities in nine villages situated along the bank of Jhang branch canal.
Out of this Rs 50 million would be provided by the Punjab Government, while the announcement to provide an amount of the same proportion by the District Government was made by District Nazim, Chaudhry Zahid Nazir.
The announcement was made in a meeting held here under the Chairmanship of Provincial Minister, for Housing, Syed Ali Raza Gilani in connection with the scheme of providing 20 million gallons of drinking water daily to Faisalabad with the co-operation of JAICA, a Japanese donor-agency, with an expenditure of Rs 2.50 billion in form of one time grant.
The meeting was attended by MPAs Rana Sanaullah, Faiz Kamoka, Sh. Ejaz Ahmad and Dr Asad Moazzam besides Director General FDA Raja Safdar Hussain, Managing Director Wasa Abdul Rasheed Chaudhry, Tehsil Nazim Sadar Chaudhry Muhammad Afzal, District Nazim Chaudhry Zahid Nazir and others concerned.
The minister for housing, said that the provincial government would issue a notification very soon regarding the setting up of a committee for finalising the proposals regarding the required developmental works in these villages. Besides MNAs, MPAs, this committee would also have the representation of district government and TMA concerned.
The committee would review the requirements and demands of the residents of the area by holding meetings with the residents and finalise recommendations by chalking out the priorities of the schemes proposed to be included in the developmental package.
The minister for housing said that the provincial government had approved this Mega project while the approval by the Federal Government would be accorded in a meeting to be held during the last week of July, after which a grant of Rs 2.5 billion is expected shortly to be released by the Japan government.
He said that this amount would be in form of 100 percent on time grant involving absolutely no loan what so ever. After the completion of this project 60,000 new connection could be given in Faisalabad.
Syed Ali Raza Gilani expressing his feelings of gratitude over the presence of opposition Assembly member and their endorsement of the project, said that it was evident that they were not only sincere towards the welfare and development of Faisalabad but had also a positive and constructive approach towards the development of this area instead of maintaining an attitude of opposition for the sake of opposition only.
He said that the government honoured this positive gestures and they would be given representation in the committee being constituted in connection with the development of the area.
District Nazim Chaudhry Zahid Nazir said that this project could be termed as a "Life-line" of Faisalabad with reference to the water requirements of Faisalabad. He said that the resources of this fast-growing city could hardly cater to only half of the water requirements at present and it was a sad reality that since the last 10 years we could not start even a single water supply scheme for this city despite the grave situation.
He said that in case the JIACA project could not start in time, then we would have to face a very critical situation in the future.
He said that despite its mega resources, the district govt had allocated Rs 90 million for the sewerage and water supply this year while it had allocated Rs 50 million for the purpose in the last financial year.
The District Nazim said that during the meeting with Wasa and other concerned agencies regarding the pre-flood arrangements, he had directed them to complete the task of desilting the sewers and other channels so that rainwater could be drained out in least possible time.
He said that these agencies had further been directed to keep the machinery of all pumping stations in perfect.
Earlier, for shedding light over the objectives and importance of JIACA water project, M.D. Wasa gave a detailed briefing with the help of slide projectors.
The meeting was followed by a question-answer session during which the Housing Minister, the District Nazim and others gave answers of the questions put up by the participants.
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