NWA IDPs to get cash grants instead of relief goods

• Federal govt allocates Rs 500m to enable IDPs to meet living expenses
• Each displaced family to get cash assistance of Rs 7,000 each 

As the federal government announced an extra-budget package of Rs 500 million for the internally displaced people (IDPs) fleeing the military operation in North Waziristan, a meeting on issues of IDPs decided to provide cash assistance of Rs 7,000 to every family to meet its living expenses instead of relief goods.

The decision was taken on Tuesday during a meeting on coordinating relief activities by Minister for States and Frontier Region (SAFRON) Abdul Qadir Baloch as Finance Minister Ishaq Dar announced in the National Assembly an initial allocation of Rs 500 million for meeting needs of IDPs.

The meeting decided that instead of the government bearing responsibility for providing food stuff and other supplies, IDPs will be provided cash grants.

Baloch, who has been tasked by the prime minister to oversee issues relating to the IDPs, reviewed the proposal to increase the cash grant from Rs 7,000 to 10,000 also came under discussion but no decision has been taken as yet.

Additionally the government would provide each IDP family Rs 25,000 for rehabilitation once the operation ends.

The federal government announced that Rs 500 million will be sanctioned for providing relief to the internally displacement persons (IDPs) fleeing the military operation in North Waziristan.

Addressing the National Assembly on Tuesday, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said that the financial requirements for the military operation in North Waziristan and the displacement of civilian population will be met with an initial allocation of Rs 500 million.

Although no allocation was made in the budget for the military operation, the government would exercise its discretionary powers to allocate the necessary resources, Dar said, while winding up the general debate on the budget which has continued for nine days.

In response to the criticism made by the opposition that the budget has become irrelevant even before its passage, Dar informed the Lower House that 57 of the 133 recommendations made by the Upper House have been accepted by the government.

Former National Assembly speaker Fehmida Mirza said that during the previous government’s tenure, the Swat military operation was debated in the parliament and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) took ownership of the operation.

However, she pointed out that parliament was not taken on board in regard to this military operation, due to which political ownership of the operation was vague.

It was the right time to declare emergency in the country, but the federal government has set no priority for much neglected sectors in the budget, she said.

She also blamed that unnecessary haste should not be made otherwise someone can wrap up the system before we could wrap up debate on budget.