Sindh announces Rs 250 million for food in Thar

SUKKUR: To overcome the ongoing drought in district Tharparkar, the Sindh government has announced a grant of Rs.250 million for ration and fodder distribution among the livestock owners to survive during the hard time.

The report said the grant would be given to the Thar Foundation, which has carried out a transparent and robust survey. The Thar Food Distribution Project announced by Provincial Minister for Livestock and Fisheries, Abdul Bari Pitafi, would distribute the grant in four union councils of Islamkot.

During a function in the Katan village near Islamkot, the minister said the department is seriously taking care of the 7.5 million livestock of Thar, and have supported two million population so far.

The Thar Foundation distributed ration among 229 most-affected households. The beneficiaries also received the Thari fish, harvested from the Gorano pond under saline water extracted from Thar Coal Block-II.

The minister said the government is making efforts to turn Thar into a disease-free region. Pitafi said the region could provide quality meat under the CPEC project, which can be exported to earn foreign exchange. Naseer Memon, General Manager, Thar Foundation, said they are working on different models of sustainable livelihoods for Thar.

Meanwhile, Sindh MPA Faqir Sher Muhammad Bilalani said they are working to help agriculture by providing submersible pumps. He said, “200 submersible pumps were approved by the chief minister which will be distributed among the farmers.”