PM opens Benazir model village, distributes keys of 143 new homes
The PM distributed keys of new six-marla homes at a ceremony held in Sinawan, district Muzaffargarh. Federal minister for information and broadcasting Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan, foreign minister Ms Hina Rabbani Khar, minister for textile industry Makhdoom Shahabuddin, Senator-elect Khalida Mohsin Qureshi, chairperson Benazir model village project MNA Fauzia Wahab, Belum Husnain Kharal, MNA Sardar Moazzam Khan Jatoi, MNA Jamshed Dasti, MPA Syed Ahmad Mujtaba Gilani, MPA Syed Nazim Hussain Shah, MPA Bilal Khar, PM's media coordinator Khawaja Rizwan Alam, Malik Noor Rabbani Khar and other PPP leaders attended the ceremony. Ambassadors of Oman, Turkey, Spain, United Kingdom (UK), Italy, and European Union (EU) were also present on the occasion. While addressing the gathering, Gilani said that President Asif Ali Zardari had conceived the idea of Benazir Shaheed model villages in consonance with the PPP manifesto to provide 'Roti, Kapra aur Makan' to the poor and downtrodden segments of society. The Prime Minister said that he felt pride and elated the moment he opened Benazir model village for it marked a significant development on way to accomplishing the gigantic task of rehabilitating the poor flood hit communities in the country. He said that government was moving forward in line with its manifesto to provide much needed assistance to the affected communities particularly in rural areas. Sakina Mai, a beneficiary, said that her home was destroyed in 2010 floods and poverty obstructed her wish to rebuild her home. But, today, I am happy to have my new home that is far better than the one I had lost, she said. The Rs300 million Benazir Shaheed model village project in Muzaffargarh was just a part of the mega initiative that is already under execution in other flood hit parts of the country. Muzaffargarh segment of the project was designed for 300 homes and was launched with commitment to replicate it in other flood-hit areas of the country. Around 143 homes have been built in the first phase and second phase would cover construction of remaining homes. The project is being executed with the cooperation of Bahria Town. Bahria Town representative Col (R) Yasin said that Bahria Town was also planning to launch three more model villages in other flood hit parts of the country. He said that Benazir model village near Sinawan will have an English medium school where 300 students would be provided quality education free of cost. Other facilities included a cattle shed for 50 cattle heads, a mosque, 25 feet wide roads, 10-feet high boundary wall, playground for kids, water purifier, water treatment plant, dispensary, shopping centre having facilities like utility store, Nadra and Pakistan post centres. Sewerage system, water supply, and electricity facilities have been made available, he said. The project was launched at the site where flood had razed a village. It is being carried out under public-private partnership mechanism and private companies would be encouraged to open their businesses to provide means of earnings to the people at all Benazir model villages. Each home has two bedrooms, a verandah, a courtyard, a kitchen, store, bathroom, and a latrine, he added. Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2012