Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim directed on Saturday the authorities concerned to gear up pace of work on Village Improvement Program (VIP) under which model villages would be set up in 22 districts of province and said the programme would be kicked off from Ahmedabad Goth of Thatta district.
He directed to ensure quality in development of these villages, and no dereliction in this regard would be tolerated, adding "NGOs and district governments would too be included in the Village Improvement Programme (VIP)."
Addressing a high-level meeting to review progress on Village Improvement Programme held at Chief Minister House here, he told model villages would be set up in 22 districts of the province. At least two villages in each district would be developed as model village, and collectively 46 villages of Sindh would be improved under the proposed programme, for which Rs 50 million had been earmarked this year, he said
Chief Minister informed the meeting that all basic amenities would be provided at model villages, adding the work would be started from Ahmadabad Goth of Thatta.
He claimed for the first time such a programme had been prepared in the history of Sindh province and instructed the authorities concerned to accelerate pace of work on the programme, so that model villages in far-flung areas of province could be established and masses be provided with modern facilities of life there. Dr Arbab Ghulam noted that even after 50 years of independence people of Sindh were deprived of modern facilities of life.
"Sindh government, on directives of the President Pervez Musharraf, is working on the programme of setting up improved villages, equipped with modern facilities, with double speed," he said.
Time is not far when basic amenities, like modern cities, would be available at every village of Sindh province, he hoped adding civic facilities like improved communication infrastructure from fields to market, gas, community parks, schools, health centres, employment and others would be provided there.
Arbab further said the government was determined for development, provision of basic amenities to Dehs and backward areas, besides development of cities.
Additional Chief Secretary Development Ghulam Sarwar Khero, Senior Member of Board of Revenue Syed Anwar Haider, Secretary to Chief Minister Muhammad Ayub Sheikh, Secretaries for Health, Agriculture, Education, Project Director VIP Shafiqur Rehman Paracha, District Nazim Thatta Shafqat Hussain Shah Sheerazi, Nazim Union Council Ahmedabad District Thatta, General Manager NHA Sindh, Karachi Khair Muhammad Solangi, Project Director Construction Hesco Moosa Mir Bahar, Director Baitul Mal Colonel Falraz Ahmed, DCO Thatta were also present.