Daily Times

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister  Mahmood Khan on Wednesday announced a special rehabilitation package of Rs 1.2 billion for the flood-hit areas of Swabi district. The package announced by the chief minister during his visit to flood affected areas, included Rs 1 billion for the for rehabilitation of damaged infrastructure and Rs 200 million for electricity repair work.

The chief minister also announced financial assistance of Rs 500,000 each for the relatives of those persons who died in flood related incidents, besides Rs 400,000 as compensation amount for a fully damaged house and Rs 160,000 for a partially damaged one.

Mahmood Khan also announced to enhance amount of compensation for the damaged crops. He directed the irrigation department to estimate the damages and prepare a report in that regard. Accompanied by former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser, Shahram Khan Tarakai, Abdul Karim and district administration officials, he visited Baamkhel and other affected areas of the district to have first hand account of the damages caused by the recent flash floods. He was also given a briefing in that regard.

He said, “The KP government stands with the flood affected victims in this difficult time.”  He assured all possible support to them. The chief minister directed the department concerned to remove encroachments from the banks of rivers and canals, besides launching a cleanliness drive in the area. The scale of damages would have been far lesser if there were no encroachment on natural water channels, he observed.

The chief minister on the occasion distributed cheques of Rs 300,000 each among the bereaved families of persons died during the recent flash floods.