Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah approves compensation for over 2.2m rain-affected people

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, in principle, has approved disbursement of compensation to the rain-affected people in 20 districts of the province, already declared as calamity-hit areas, but the amount of this compensation would be decided by the provincial cabinet later on.

He took this decision on Monday while presiding over a meeting to assess the losses/damages caused by the recent heavy rains in the province. The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, Special Assistant to CM Haris Gazdar, Chairman Planning & Development M Waseem, Principal Secretary to CM Sajid Jamal Abro, Senior Member Board of Revenue (SMBR) Qazi Shahid Parvez, and Additional Secretary Finance.

Briefing the chief minister, SMBR Qazi Shahid Parvez said that the government has already declared 20 districts of the province as calamity-hit districts, including Karachi Division: South, West, East, Central, Korangi and Malir. Hyderabad Division: Hyderabad, Badin, Thatta, Sujawal, Jamshoro, Tando Mohammad Khan, Tando Allahyar, Matiari and Dadu. Mirpurkhas Division: Mirpurkhas, Umerkot and Tharparkar districts. Shaheed Benazirabad: Shaheed Benazirabad and Sanghar districts.

The CM was given a district-wise presentation on the losses/damages of the 2020 monsoon. Overall 1,752 dehs, 2,297,108 people, 1,499,411 acres of standing crops, 291,981 households, and 1,292,643 houses were affected due to the recent heavy monsoon rains.

It was pointed out that heavy rains claimed 149 lives, injured 103 persons, and perished 19,858 animals, including cows, buffaloes, horses, goats, sheep and donkeys. The CM worked out the total losses of Rs8 billion and claimed his government would give compensation to the poor affected people all over Sindh to rehabilitate them. He discussed different rates for different losses and, in principle, approved to disburse the amount but the matter would be placed before the cabinet for the final nod.

Ensuring transparency, the CM said that the amount would be given to the affected people for categories such as deaths, injuries, damaged houses and perished cattle and the disbursal would take place through ATM cards. He directed Chief Secretary Mumtaz Ali Shah to talk to the Sindh Bank and work out a detailed plan for issuance of the ATM cards for the purpose at the earliest.

The beneficiaries must have a CNIC card as these identity cards would be verified from the NADRA before disbursement of the compensation. Meanwhile, he directed the SMBR to verify the list of affected people, houses, cattle lost, deaths and injured persons for finalization of the list of beneficiaries. Shah said that when the cash would be transferred to the affected people, they would receive an SMS on their mobile phone.