BADIN: The Badin District Council is a hub of development initiatives of the district and sufficient amount of the yearly-budget would be reserved for the development of district’s remote areas, particularly for the coastal belts of Seerani, Bhugra Memon UCs.
These views were expressed by Badin District Council member and District chairman’s representative Fida Hussain Mandhro on Wednesday, while addressing the Bi-Annual Citizen Assembly organised by Indus Consortium in collaboration with USAID near Seerani town, 18 km from Badin.
People from all walks of life, including women, men and youth, hailing from different villages attended the event.
Fida Mandhro said that the local administration would place a plan with consultation of its members for monitoring of the development work of the district’s departments, adding, the administration’s key focus is to improve the water and sanitation conditions of the district to ensure an easy access of the agri-water to the little farmers and peasants.
Addressing the participants, he assured that all practicable initiatives would be taken for the development and facilitation of the common people of the area, especially for small growers.
He applauded the efforts of Indus Consortium for their worthwhile efforts as joining their hands for the development of the remote area of the district.
Social Welfare Department Deputy Director Abdul Ghafar Khoso, while addressing on the occasion, said that there needs an improvement in the old system of the government for access of the agri-water to the farmers of the tail end.
He praised the efforts of NGOs, especially USAID, for launching different projects to improve the water and sanitation condition of the district especially of the coastal belt.
Dodo Soomro Union Council (UC) Chairman Asghar Chang observed that different projects of the USAID and Indus consortium have proved beneficial for the small growers of coastal belt. He also urged the government to launch farmer-friendly projects in the area.
Speaking to the participants, Sindh Irrigation Development Authority (SIDA), Social Mobilisation Assistant Manager Ameer Husain Memon has apprised the participants that vindicated distributions of the water was not possible unless farmers’ organisations were not formed and their strengthening not ensured, adding that strong coordination of the farmers groups with different key stakeholders also played an important role in maintaining the transparent and justified distribution of the water.
On the occasion, Nangar Khaet UC Chairman Sultan Ahmed Juenjo, Dodo Soomro UC Chairman Ali Asghar Chang, Information Officer Keenjhar Memon and Abida Samoon, Imtiaz Ali Bhurgari, Aslam Mallah, Sanum Abbasi, Muhammad Yousif Mallah, Abu Talib, Janat Mallah and others also addressed the participants.
The Soojhro farmer’s itehad union council Seerani and Sarsbz farmer itehad Kadhan have submitted resolution schemes of water and sanitation improvements to the elected representatives, during the Bi-Annual Citizen Assembly, among one scheme of UC Kadhan was announced to be approved on the spot when others put up for consideration soon by Fida Hussain Mandhro, members of district council.
Earlier, students of the Sindh Agriculture University Tando Jam have presented the theatre on “The soil of the Dodo” which enthralled the participants of the event when traditional gifts “Ajraks” were also presented to the guests of the events.
Earlier, LHDP Executive Director and Indus Consortium Chairman Iqbal Hyder Qambrani warmly welcomed all participants of the Bi-Annual Citizen Assembly.