Distribution of financial assistance to the affectees will be started from September 27 :Mujtaba Shuja

Lahore: Provincial Minister for Finance, Excise & Taxation Mujtaba Shuja ur Rehman has said that the distribution of financial assistance to the affectees will be started by Punjab government from September 27 and steps are being taken to complete this process before Eid ul Azha. He said that any affectee will write flood, space and identity card number on his mobile for getting information about payment and SMS on 8800, he will receive reply. He said that arrangements for payment are being made at every union council of flood hit areas. He said that arrangements are also being made in schools of those areas where most of the people affected. The Provincial Minister said that steps are being taken for making the procedure of payment simple and transparent. He told that monitoring will be made through CCTV cameras and video recording at payment place and record will be sent to central monitoring cell of PDMA in Lahore immediately through net.

He expressed these views while presiding over a high level meeting with regard to provision of financial assistance to flood affectees. Ayesha Ghaus Pasha MPA, Senior Member Board of Revenue Nadeem Ashraf, Secretary Finance Jehanzeb Khan, Special Secretary Finance Ahmed Raza Sarwar, officers of NADRA, Punjab Bank, BISP, PITB, DG PDMA and senior officials attended the meeting.

Mujtaba Shuja ur Rehman said that Habib Bank, United Bank, Punjab Bank, National Bank and other financial institutions will extend help in distribution of financial assistance to the affectees. He said that service centers will work from 8.00 a.m to 8.00 p.m daily for providing financial assistance. Provincial Minister said that big rescue and rehabilitation operation of the country’s history has been started for affectees of worst flood in the history of the province. He said that Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif is personally supervising relief activities and visiting flood-hit areas daily on war footing. He said that entire nation is standing with flood affectees and all out resources will be utilized for their rehabilitation. Mujtaba Shuja ur Rehman said that assessment of losses caused to roads, crops, houses and other buildings due to flood is being made and government will continue to discharge its responsibilities till the complete rehabilitation of the affectees.