Govt plans low-cost housing scheme

KARACHI:

Sindh chief minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, presided over a cabinet meeting which he attended, decided to provide homeless individuals with shelter through an affordable housing program and granted a 15-year maximum age relaxation for people with disabilities in government positions.

It was also deemed to normalise the katchi abadis system by prolonging the cut-off date. He also directed officials of the Sindh Katchi Abadis Authority to review the regularisation law and eliminate any ambiguities and to put the issue on the agenda for an upcoming cabinet session.

The meeting took place on the CM House on Friday and was attended by all ministers advisors, special assistants, and advisers and the and special assistants. Sindh Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput, P&D Chairman Hassan Naqvi and other concerned secretaries.

The meeting began with a briefing. meeting the chief minister announced that thanks to the efficient strategy from the PPP leadership the government of a new generation has been elected in the capital of the federal state.

"This represents a fresh period of cooperation, joint work and economic prosperity for the country," he said and instructed his ministers to be more involved in solving public issues. P&D Chairperson Hassan Naqvi, briefing the cabinet on the mid-year Review (MYR) for ADP 2021-22, announced that an aggregate of Rs77.875 billion was released.

Of this, 43.777 billion was used. He also said that 825 of 1 034 schemes will be completed in the current fiscal year.

The meeting was informed that 235 schemes were classified as not satisfactory by P&D. This led to the chief minister instructed P&D not to grant funds to these schemes. The department in charge was instructed to review the projects that were deemed unsatisfactory and submit a provide a report to him. "I'll not accept substandard work," the CM said.

 

Low-cost housing scheme

Sindh Katchi Abadis Authority floated an idea to the cabinet to introduce a low-cost housing schemes in different locations in the province, for homeless and in needy persons.

The cabinet was informed it was reported that SKAA has already started Sasti Basti programs in several areas in the province.

The cabinet accepted the plan and instructed to the Board of Revenue to identify the lands across Sindh to be used for low-cost housing and also instructed SKAA to come up with a strategy to begin such schemes.

 

SKA Act 

The cabinet was informed the Sindh Katchi Abadis Authority (SKA) has surveyed 1,448 unauthorised settlements which were either entirely or partially on land belonging to the government on or by the 30th of June, 1987, to declare as katchi abadis as per the Act 1987.

However there are a lot of settlements that are not authorised have been established following the cut-off date of the 30th of June, 1997. They are not able to be regularized under the current law.

In order to offer relief to those living in katchi abadies that are scattered across Sindh There is an urgent necessity to extend the cut-off date for the regularization of Katchi abadies in Sindh from the 30th of June 1997 until 31 December 2011. So, the cabinet ratified the amendments to the Sindh Katchi Abadis Act 1987.

 

People with disabilities are recruited

A committee for the appointment of all kinds of disabled people was formed, which made suggestions.

The committee has suggested changes or relaxations to the Recruitment Rules for people with disabilities, bearing in mind the issues and difficulties they face during the process of gaining employment to fulfill the five percent job contingent.

The suggestions include: upper limit on the age of eligibility for government positions should be lowered by 15 years in the case of candidates who have disabilities.

For people who have hearing impairments, the grade that is next to them will be considered an academic qualification in comparison to candidates who do not have disabilities. Also, for those with disabilities affecting their intellectual functioning two grades less academic qualification is considered i.e. for those who do not have disabilities, the that qualification is Graduate. For the same position Matric will be academic qualification for those who have intellectual disabilities.

Conditions of employment should not be a requirement for those who have disabilities, as they are already denied job opportunities.