Rs6bn allocated for Panahgah scheme.

Byline: Amin Ahmed

ISLAMABAD -- The federal government has allocated Rs6 billion for 'Panahgah' (shelter home) scheme.

The 'Panahgah' management is striving to improve the basic services beyond bed and breakfast to include water, sanitation and hygiene for promoting healthy lives.

'We are committed to doing everything to support the low income families bread earners who until the pandemic were making some gains to reduce the burden of poverty and now suddenly face a serious crisis,' says Prime Minister's Focal Person for Panahgahs Naseemur Rehman.

Significant attention is being given to keep Panahgahs clean, and Covid-19 pandemic presents us with the greatest responsibility and our team is doing its best to rise up to the challenge, Mr Rehman said.

According to him, Panahgahs in Islamabad and Rawalpindi are leading the way in the observance of standard operating practices in the wake of Covid-19 looming threat with provision of effective health care and essential services such as masks, soaps, sanitisers, hand-washing stations and strict adherence to social distancing.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has provided thousands of masks which were distributed in six Panahgahs in the twin cities which saw a rise in the number of daily wage earners.

The daily wage earners went to different rural areas to help farmers harvest wheat crop.After harvesting, they started returning to urban areas for jobs particularly in the construction industry.

Ten hand-washing stations have been installed in the Panahgah to help stem the spread of infection with clear cut instructions to the service providers and meal servers toact as role models by regularly washing their...