AIDING THE FLOOD-HIT – Construction of 13 model villages to start from 25th: CM

LAHORE – Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif on Thursday said that reconstruction programme for the flood affected villages was in progress and construction of 13 model villages will be started formally from January 25 in various areas of the calamity-stricken districts.
He was presiding over a meeting in Lahore regarding the construction of model villages in flood affected areas. The meeting reviewed the pace of implementation of construction of model villages.
The CM said that in the first phase, foundation stone of 13 model villages will be laid on January 25 and the construction work of more than 1500 houses in these villages will be completed by March 30 and all necessary facilities will be made available by May 31.
He said that construction of 106 houses, cattle-sheds and provision of other facilities in village Miran Mullan district Muzaffargarh will also be completed soon. He said that in the second phase, 16 model villages equipped with basic facilities will be constructed. He said that these model villages were being constructed through the Punjab Rural Support Programme.
He said under the rehabilitation programme model villages were being constructed and water supply and drainage, schools, dispensaries, vocational institutions, solar and bio-gas plants, recreational and other basic facilities will be provided in these villages. He said model villages were being constructed with the donations of more than Rs 1.3 billion, which will be utilized transparently. Earlier, Chief Secretary Nasir Mehmood Khan Khosa gave a detailed briefing regarding construction of model villages.
Provincial Disaster Management Authority Director General Khalid Sherdil informed that donors had pledged the construction of 98 model villages.
Senior Advisor Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa, Members Provincial Assembly Khawaja Salman Rafiq, Hafiz Mian Nauman, Chief Secretary, Chairman Planning & Development, Senior Member Board of Revenue, Secretaries of Finance, Local Government and Housing departments, Provincial Disaster Management Authority Director General, Punjab Rural Support Programme Chief Executive Officer and District Coordination Officer Muzaffargarh were also present in the meeting.