Minister for Planning, development and special initiatives Ahsan Iqbal said on Monday that the country can face a big challenge of food security like rice, bananas, onions and other agricultural products have been hit hard by the recent floods.
Speaking at a press briefing here, he said the recent floods and heavy rains also damaged 40 to 50 percent cotton harvest throughout the country.
minister said the country had witnessed more devastation than this caused floods in 2010.
He reported that 0.9 million heads of cattle and one millions of houses were washed away in recent floods during over 1000 people lost their lives.
In 2013, he said that when PML-N government took charge, the country had already faced devastating floods in 2010 and he launched the fourth phase of Pakistan flood protection mitigation program of such floods.
“In May 2017, we received the approval of the Council Program of Common Interests duly signed by all provinces and it was decided that new infrastructure will built according to the program, he added.
minister said it also agreed that Rs 177 billion would be spent under the program and the provinces would contribute. half of in amount.
However, he said despite completing in final road map to spend 177 billion rupees under the program, next PTI government dropped this program in cold storage and not a single rupee was spent on It.
If we had spent 177 billion rupees on the program, the losses would have been much less than we were. facing now he added.
Ahsan Iqbal said big challenge was ahead like 30 million people were affected and government had help they are standing on their legs.
He expressed his resolve that under the guidance of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, government would complete rehabilitation process of in flood hit areas.
