Sindh govt, SSGC sign agreement

Karachi—On the directive of President Asif Ali Zardari for supply of natural gas to villages and towns of Sindh, an agreement was signed between the Sindh Government and Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) at the Planning and Development Department. Advisor to Chief Minister for Planning and Development Dr. Kaiser Bengali was also present on the occasion.

Under the agreement some 193 villages will be supplied natural gas at a cost of Rs one billion.

Later talking to journalists Dr. Kaiser Bengali said that Rs 1000 million have been loaned to SSGC on soft term basis under this phased programme. He said Sindh government is taking keen interest in ameliorating the living standard of people of rural and far flung areas.

In this regard, besides other initiatives, gas will be supplied to remote villages and towns. The Advisor pointed out that Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah is holding regular meetings to review the progress of the scheme to expedite its implementation. He recalled that under this programme Rs 900 million have been provided as soft loan to SSGC during 2008-09 and spent to provide gas to 136 villages all over Sindh.

He said that an allocation of Rs 1000 million has been made for fiscal 2009-10 to provide gas to 193 villages in Sindh. Dr. Kaiser Bengali said that besides other schemes, a Coastal Development Plan has also been launched to provide all basic amenities to the people of coastal areas. —APP