Rs5bn relief package for Balochistan likely
The Dawn, By Our Staff Correspondent
1/10/2003

QUETTA, Jan 9: The Chief Minister, Jam Mohammad Yousaf, has proposed a comprehensive relief package of Rs5 billion for the rehabilitation of drought-stricken people of the province.

According to official sources the chief minister submitted his plan to Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali recently in Islamabad while apprising him about the drought situation in Balochistan. He requested the PM to announce a comprehensive relief package for Balochistan, as almost the entire province had been badly affected by the prolonged drought.

Sources said that if the federal government gives approval to the proposed relief package then it would be implemented in two phases; Rs40 million would allocated to every district in the province.

Out of this amount, 25 per cent have to been spent on cash assistance and provision of food, medicines, blankets, tents and tractors in addition to water tanks to the drought-affected areas.

The remaining 75 per cent funds would be spent on different development schemes, which include water supply schemes, livestock development, water sector, and construction of roads in different areas of the province. Sources said that the CM has proposed Rs5 billion for the second phase. Both phases would be implemented within three years.

The PC-1 of the comprehensive proposed package would be prepared and will be submitted to the federal government for approval within the next three months. It may be maintained here that Balochistan was facing server drought for the last six years causing great difficulties to the people the province.

The livestock and agriculture was badly affected; millions of animals were killed which were the main sources of income in the province. On the other hand the agriculture sector was also destroyed due to no rain and non-availability of water as underground water channels and tubewells had dried up.

http://www.dawn.com/2003/01/10/nat20.htm