The Social Welfare and Bait-ul-Maal (SW&BM) Punjab has proposed the Punjab government to release an estimated amount of over Rs 153 million for the establishment of five "Musafir Khanas" (shelter homes) in the provincial capital for the homeless people who usually spend their nights on footpaths, parks and other public places.
Recently, Prime Minister Imran Khan in his last visit to Lahore had laid the foundation stone for a shelter project near Railway Station. "These will be followed by shelters in other cities across the country. We are committed to building a social net for our poor citizens so everyone has a shelter over his/her head and access to health and education," the premier had promised.
According to the PC-1 of the project, the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) under the supervision of the Social Welfare and Bait-ul-Maal (SW&BM) Punjab will carry out the construction work for the shelter homes at five different locations i.e., near Data Darbar Chowk, General Bus Stand Badami Bagh, Fruit and Vegetable Market Badami Bagh, Railway Station and Shahdara Chowk.
An official familiar with the development told Business Recorder that on the instruction of Prime Minister Imran Khan the LDA has started construction work for a shelter home near Railway Station while the rest of the work is yet to be started. He added that the shelter homes will have the capacity to accommodate at least 730 homeless people daily during nights i.e. from 06:00pm to 09:00am. "Since the project is not included in the Annual Development Programme (ADP) 2018-19, hence a summery has been moved to the Provincial Cabinet for the allocation of Rs 153.727 million during the current finical year out of supplementary grant for the speedy implementation of this project," the official added.
In October, he said, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar had convened a "special meeting" wherein it was intimated that due to urbanization, a sizable population of underprivileged people come to Lahore in search for labour, employment and other purposes. "But in case of disappointment, they neither have any place to live nor do they have resources to acquire rented premises for temporary shelter.
"Resultantly, such people are compelled to spend their nights on footpaths, parks and other public places which exhibit pathological social symptoms like drug abuse, alcoholism, crime, vandalism and other deviant behavior," the official said, adding that in this context the CM directed to immediately establish Musafir Khanas at different locations in Lahore to cater the needs of the poor people who came from different cities.
According to the PC-1, the project will be started during the month of November 2018 and will be completed by June 2020. Throwing light on the background of the initiative, the document asserts that the inflation rate is increasing day-by-day.
"A number of people used to travel to Lahore in search for better earning and lifestyle. Of them, most are the destitute, needy and poor people who cannot afford the living cost in hotels. Therefore, the provision of free-of-cost shelters is the responsibility of the government," the document reads.
Overall, the document says that nearly 730 people including 115 females and 615 males would be able to get shelter in all shelter homes while the food will be arranged by the Auqaf Department.
Comments
Comments are closed.