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Lyari uplift package focuses on health and education

By Irfan Aligi

KARACHI: The pace of uplift and improvement of Lyari Town under the Lyari Development Package (LDP) is being constantly witnessed, and efforts for the completion of ongoing development schemes within the precincts of Lyari Town Municipal Administration have been geared up.

In this regard, a high level meeting to review the pace of development works in Lyari Town under the LDP was held at the Sindh Planning and Development Department’s Committee Room on Thursday evening. Sindh Minister for Katchi Abadis and Spatial Development Engr Muhammad Rafique Advocate chaired the meeting, while Additional Chief Secretary Development Munawar Opal, LDP Project Director Shafiqur Rehman, Dr Hassan Afridi, Lyari Town Nazim Mehmood Hashim and other high officials also attended the meeting.

The meeting was told that the government had allocated Rs 500 million for the development and uplift of Lyari Town under the LDP for the year 2008-09 with special focus on improvement of roads, sewerage lines and water infrastructure. Also, the provincial government had added Rs 870 million to the 2009-10 budget allocation, out of which Rs 300 million and Rs 570 million would be utilised separately on new development schemes and completion of ongoing development projects.

While addressing the meeting, the minister said that Shaheed Zulfiquar Ali Bhutto and Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto had taken a practical step towards the development of Lyari and President Asif Ali Zardari has not only continued it, but has also taken it a step further with the proposal of Lyari University, which would shortly be defined after necessary legislation in the assembly.

Further, a medical college has also been planned and the venue of Ayaz Soomro Nursing and Training Institute as well as the Lyari General Hospital would be used after revamping both of them. In this regard, a process was being completed so that the first batch of 100 students could be prepared as soon as possible.

The meeting was also informed that the pace of work to revive girls’ education in Lyari Town had already been geared up with astonishing results. It had also been decided that special measures should be taken to provide vocational training opportunities to the youth to address the issue of unemployment. The meeting decided that the PC-I for purchasing machines, equipments and modern system of cleanliness, waste and garbage disposal should be forwarded to P&DD for approval

While talking to Daily Times, Hashim said that the roads in Lyari Town had been grossly destroyed as a result of laying water and sewerage lines. He voiced his opinion that the allocated Rs 65 million funds for repair and maintenance were inadequate and need to be increased. He further informed about the completion of PC-I for the same, demanding the government to provide Rs 300 million in two instalments, so that the roads in Lyari Town could be completed.

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