Centre to help flood-affectees if provinces failed

SUKKUR: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Tuesday said that all the families affected by floods will be given Rs 100,000 each without any discrimination if provinces do not have money.

He also announced a grant of Rs 100 million each for the seven districts of Sindh province affected by the recent flood.

Addressing a mammoth rally, to celebrate the 44th Founding Day of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), he said the seven districts that would get the grant include Jamshoro, Dadu, Shahdadkot, Thatta, Hyderabad, Kashmore-Kandhkot and Shikarpur.

The prime minister said that the world witnessed one of the worst floods in the history which affected over 20 million people in Pakistan.

He said that in order to mitigate the sufferings of the growers in the flood affected areas, they will be given fertilizer and seeds free of charge.

"It is our endeavour to provide maximum relief to the people affected by the natural disaster," he said.

Prime Minister Gilani said that the damaged Sukkur-Rohri bridge will be reconstructed. He also reiterated the commitment of Federal Government to pay remaining Rs 80,000 per family to the flood victims as provinces have contributed Rs 20,000 to each family.

"All the families affected by floods will be given Rs 100,000 each without any discrimination," he added.

He said that the funds would help the flood victims to rebuild their houses on their own.

He said, since its foundation, PPP has given great sacrifices for the country and added the present government would carry out the mission of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

Congratulating the people on the occasion, the prime minister said that the present government would fulfill all the promises made by Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and has given all the resources to the smaller provinces.

"It is now the responsibility of the smaller provinces to utilize the resources with justification," Gilani said.

He said that under the devolution programme, the Federal Government will hand over responsibilities of at least five ministries to the provinces will another 10 ministries will be handed over within next two months.

Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani said that in order to fulfill the dreams of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, the women will be delegated more and more powers and they will also be given facilities of health and life insurance.

About the government-media relations, Gilani said that the government believes in freedom of press and the present government would always welcome positive criticism from all quarters.

"It would be a welcome step if the government and media jointly take measures to flourish democracy in the country," he added.

About the agriculture sector, the prime minister said that unscrupulous elements tried to create artificial food crisis in the country and dispelled the impression that there was any sugar, wheat or flour shortage in the country.

"There is no sugar shortage in the country, it is just propaganda against the government," he said.

The prime minister also rejected the notion that Pakistan was diplomatically isolated. "Had we been in isolation, there would not have been any assistance by the foreign countries during the recent flood," he said and added that all the countries gave assistance to Pakistan whole heartedly.

About the Kashmir issue, he said that the PPP led government had remained vocal to raise the issue in the comity of nations.

On the political front, Gilani said that it was for the first time in the history of the country that today there was no political prisoner. "PPP believes in the politics of reconciliation," he added.