Karachi would become the most modern, civilised and peaceful city of the Islamic world by 2010, offering unlimited opportunities. Unfolding the "Vision-2010" at the City Council here on Tuesday, City Nazim Naimatullah Khan declared that the city would play a very important role for access to the Central Asian region.
During the budget speech the Nazim spoke at length about his vision of Karachi in 2010 and revealed the strategies and planning to make Karachi a developed city.
He said that to turn the dream of modern Karachi into a reality, several measures would be taken in phases.
He said the city government would set up "City Surveillance System" in Karachi in collaboration with the federal and provincial governments and would take concrete steps to make the city free from anti-peace elements.
"The anti-social elements have sabotaged all the efforts for rule of law and improved law and order situation, development, foreign investment and recreational activities," he said.
To render the evil intentions of such elements ineffective, the Nazim said peace committees would be formed at Mohallah level under every Union Council and "Reconciliation committees" would be made more effective along the establishment of Computerised Demographic Monitoring System.
The Nazim, while describing unemployment as the main cause for law and order situation in the city, said that comprehensive planning has been made to generate 100,000 employment opportunities in Karachi. "Work will start in July to compile data of unemployed people," he added.
Around 14,000 job opportunities would be created in education and health, 400,000 in cottage industry and agro-farming estates, 5,000 in mass transit, tramway and green buses projects, while 20,000 jobs would be created through massive development activities.
He said community participation would be ensured in the city with the restructuring of all civic amenities departments, while the opinion of the people would be preferred in all the development activities and promotion of government officials would be linked with the services they provide.
About transport sector, he said that major initiatives would be taken in this sector like tramway service in congested parts, switching of traffic signals to solar energy, lane marking of all roads by end of the current year, training of the drivers to make them bound to the code of conduct, vertical parking plazas, improvement in traffic police system, flyovers and underpasses construction, elevated road at Shahrah-e-Faisal, dualisation of Lyari Expressway and Northern Bypass and several others.
In agriculture and fisheries sector, he announced that jetty and dams would be constructed, hygienic food items would be supplied, agro-farming estate for cattle farming, milk processing plants, slaughter-houses, etc, would be set up, a project to market fishery products in the international market would be launched, 36 food corners, new water and sewerage system with new pressurised system of water and laying network of sewerage system with pipes manufactured by FRP, etc, would be established.
On housing facilities, Naimatullah said that five new housing schemes would be launched, Katchi Abadies would be turned into low-cost housing schemes, while fishery colonies in the coastal areas would also be converted into low-cost housing schemes.
He said that redevelopment of all industrial areas would be completed, two new industrial areas would be set up, one-window facility for industrialists would be initiated to get all the civic utilities under one roof.
The Nazim said that 18 hospitals, one in each town, would be established after preparation of Health Master Plan, chest pain centres, emergency and ambulance centres at each UC would be set up, while campaigns for killing stray dogs on permanent basis, conversion of Malir and Lyari River into recreational spots after removal of waste and sewerage would be launched.
The Nazim said that in the "Education for All" project 4,000 schools would be turned into model schools, 50 new colleges would be established, prominent students and teachers would be given rewards and 18 model libraries, two women universities, 18 technical training centres for women and adult literacy centres would be established.
He said that recreational facilities would be promoted with a new dimension by setting up 18 model sports complexes, model parks and playgrounds at each Union Council. Forest parks, beautification of coastal belt and water parks would also be set up, while ferry service would be launched.
He also announced start of "Civic Award" to encourage skilled workers and setting up of a centre for poets and literary people to promote literary activities and launching of "Literary Award" on annual basis.
The Nazim said "City Games" would be made an annual event and social welfare housing schemes would be launched at the UC level.
At the outset of his speech, Naimatullah recalled the achievements of the city government in the last four years and praised the members of City Council for their support. "Rising above the party affiliations, you supported the city government to make the city developed," he said, while naming some members of the council.
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