Downtrodden yet to get possession

KARACHI - The low-cost ‘Benazir Homes’ built under government-run People’s Housing Programme is yet to be handed over to the poor people of Sindh.
Earlier it was decided that Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah would issue the ownership documents. But now the prime minister himself would issue the rights of the houses to the beneficiaries within next 15 days.
The government has chosen Thatta, Badin and rural Karachi where 500 low cost houses under the banner of Benazir Homes have been constructed in collaboration with UNDP Pakistan.
Ziaul Islam, chairman, government-run People’s Housing Cell (PHC), confirmed about the delay in handing over the houses to the community, said the lucky community people, who have been identified deserving, are happy because they are presently living in makeshift houses and will shift to newly built houses soon.
For identification of beneficiary families, the project-implementing organisation had formed Community Development Organisation in each village to identify the poorest families to have a new home. They adopted participatory approach to involve all the families to sit together and take decision unanimously. This approach gave the activist courage as they won the confidence of their communities.
The Nation talked to the some villagers who will get beneficiary of government scheme. The residents of Haji Jaffar Jamari, village of district Thatta, are waiting to shift their families to their new abodes - gifted to them by the Sindh government which have been ready since July 20, 2009. Some of the families have already shifted some of their belongings to the new houses. “It is hard to wait” an excited villager Ali Nawaz said, “It is like a dream coming true.”