Khawaja Zaheer Ahmed - PDMA

affected by the Tori breach, some sensitive
equipments/assets were removed to other locations, in
anticipation of any disaster. As a further goodwill gesture,
the PAF launched, from its own resources, construction of
650 houses for the affectees.
d) Mr. Ali Arshad Hakeem, Chairman NADRA, a statutory outfit of the
Interior Ministry provided background of the assignment regarding
rehabilitation of persons who lost their homes and hearths. A
decision was taken for disbursement of ex-gratia rehabilitation grant
@ Rs.100,000/ family, to be shared equally by Federal Government
and Provincial Governments. On 6 th September, 2010, the NADRA
was engaged for the purpose, in pursuance of a decision by the
Council of Common Interests (CCI) for coordination through the
NDMA. It responded most promptly to the call to design a workable
system for CNIC-based verification that facilitated disbursement of
the first tranche of ex-gratia grants @ Rs.20,000/- per head of
family through Watan-Card instruments in coordination with Banks
designated by Federal Government to render cost-free Services
(Accounts/ATMS) within the shortest time-span. For the purpose,
127 centres had been set up in flood affected areas; as per the
design, the Watan Cards are activated after a lapse of 48 hours of
issue, for electronic re-verification of the recipients to ward off the
possibility of impersonation/duplications. Complaints where noted
were addressed with requisite attention and promptitude.
Commencing 21 st September 2010, by 13 th February 2011, almost
Rs.28 billion had been disbursed to 1,480,000 family heads
identified with reference to criteria notified by the Provincial
Governments concerned. For the first tranche @ Rs. 20,000/- per
family head a significant number of affectees have not encashed
their cards. As on 25 th April the number of Watan Cards recipients
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