Daily Times

Sindh government plans to launch new seven different programmes to reduce poverty and ensure food security, family health in the province. These programs would cover poverty reduction, food security and family health while Benazir women agricultural workers program will soon initiate across the province.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that these programs are an attempt to implement PPP election manifesto.

During a meeting at Chief Minister House with Chief Secretary Sindh, provincial ministers including Health, Agriculture, Labour, Local Government, and Women Development, Murad Ali Shah said that Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has directed him to start implementation of election manifesto of the party. “People gave us votes on the manifesto, therefore it must be implemented as approved by them,” he said and added that he had convened the meeting to discuss newly proposed programmes for public welfare.

Sindh Chief Minister’s newly appointed Coordinator for Social Protection Haris Gazdar gave a detailed presentation on the proposed programmes. The proposed programmes include Bhook Mitao programme, Family health programme, Maternal and Child Support, Peoples Poverty reduction, Benazir Kissan programme, Benazir Women Agricultural Workers programme and Internship Gurantee Programme.

Bhoot Mitao Programme: Under this programme, necessary measures would be taken to provide food security, nutrition and to ensure proper pricing of agricultural commodities/crop. Under this programme wheat procurement system would be redesigned and revamped just to give benefit to poor and small farmers.

These programs are an attempt to implement PPP election manifesto: Murad

Family Health: This programme is proposed to be launched by health department under which health facilities and services would be provided to all people, particularly the poor and women. There is also a proposal to issue health card to provide free treatment to all the citizens. This programme will ensure primary health service.

Maternal & Child Support: This programme would be launched by health dept and would cover family planning and provide necessary facilities for maternal and child health. Under this programme there is a proposal to give an amount of money to mothers for certain period and provide health services and develop social protection system.

Peoples Poverty Reduction: Under this programme small-scale livelihood support would be made to rural women. Presently, World Bank supported Sindh Rural Support Organisation is working in selected district and the proposal is widen its scope and impact.

Benazir Kissan : This programme is aimed at streamlining agricultural subsidies, particularly to small farmers.

Benazir Women Agri Workers: Under this programme legal recognition would be given to women agricultural workers so that they can get small agricultural loans and they would also be provided access to services.

Internship Guarantee: Under this programme internship for educated youth, partnership with public/private would be guarantees. The educated rural and urban youth, particularly from non-privileged background would be entitled to take benefit from this programme.

The chief minister constituted different groups in health education, health and agriculture sectors under the concerned ministers and secretaries to firm up their recommendations and mechanism for launching these programmes from next year’s budget.

Published in Daily Times, March 8^th 2019.