Sumeta A Syed
Trying times are the best test of how great an institution actually is. The catastrophic floods that took the entire country by storm last year has, to date, given replete examples of the commitment of the Sindh government to its people and their welfare.
In a bid to continue working on its people-centric agenda, Sindh People’s Housing for Flood Affectees (SPHF) has now emerged as a unique flagship project wherein the government of Sindh, under the visionary leadership of Foreign Minister Pakistan and Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, aims to not just help the downtrodden victims of their province stand up but take a confidence stride towards prosperity.
With energetic manifestoes like #ApniZameenApnaMakaan, the Sindh Government is going to build as many as 20 lakh houses, which would be made stronger and resilient given in mind the upcoming climatic challenges. The new structure has come from extensive research into the topography and the materials that could withstand climatic disasters in the future. As the first wave of five thousand beneficiaries will get land titles in a ceremony planned for today in Larkana, the Sindh Government aims to speed up the process and award just as many every month. Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari would oversee the ceremony and hand over the title deeds.
That the catastrophic floods of 2022 uprooted thousands of families; causing irrevocable damage to around two million houses has been echoed far too many times. But as aid from the international community trickled measly and fires raging on the institutional front obstructed the governance mechanisms, the Government of Sindh worked day in and day out to prioritise the well-being of their brethren. In order to provide them with a roof that they can truly call their own, the government undertook an extraordinary mission: sustainable rehabilitation through resilient housing. Thus, the initiative Sindh People’s Housing for Flood Affectees came into being.
Under this, the Sindh Government collaborates with the beneficiaries as they set out to create their own houses and turn them into homes. The provision of funds would ensure the beneficiaries receive Rs 300,000 directly in their bank accounts so that they may procure construction materials. This support to the construction process is being done through direct transfers in a highly transparent and accountable manner. Moreover, the beneficiaries would be free to choose their own preferences when it comes to design and housing needs. Never before have public endeavours, especially when it comes to relief, empowered the masses and taken them on as just as honourable partners.
As promised by Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari a large number of women beneficiaries will be given land titles which is irrefutable evidence of the commitment to women’s empowerment. Through the financial inclusion of women as a crucial cornerstone of SPHF, the Sindh Government is staying true to its championship of financial and social empowerment of women. This stems from deep-seated thinking that only a secure woman can play her due responsibilities towards her children, her family and her country in an effective manner. By including the first transgender Goori in the list of recipients, the Government of Sindh has once again proved how it sees all its citizens as Pakistanis first, without any societal prejudices.
The most historic aspect of the program is the willingness of the state to go the extra mile in ensuring the flood victims are not forced to look towards anyone when it comes to sustenance. The provision of land titles to the beneficiaries would secure their foothold in the land they would construct their houses. This legal cover would go a long way in their favour if and when any dispute arises or some nefarious elements try to arm-twist them. The formal ownership, in addition to giving them legal standing, offers a sense of stability.
This two-pronged approach of according land titles in addition to a transparent distribution of funds would be remembered in times to come as an exemplary initiative that rebuilds houses and restores a sense of pride in the affected region.
