Extensive reforms in Sindh education sector envisaged: Qaim

HYDERABAD: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah on Sunday said that the government had planned to bring about extensive reforms in the education sector with the help of international assistance. He said that financial year 2011-12 would be a year of development.

"Recently President Asif Ali Zardari visited the United Kingdom where he was assured of Rs 20 billion support for improvement in the education system," the Chief Minister said while addressing a public meeting at Matli, district Badin.

The event was organised by PPP Matli chapter to mark the 18th death anniversary of a former provincial finance minister Shaheed Ismail Odhejo.

The Chief Minister said the government would carry out mega development projects in the current year for which huge funds had been set aside.

"Besides, reinforcement of the ravaged irrigation infrastructure, education, health and agriculture sectors have been put on the priority list of development," he added.

He said that in addition to the indigenous resources, foreign assistance was being utilized in development schemes.

"With the help of successful foreign visits of President Asif Ali Zardari, the international community is today offering economic assistance to Pakistan for development," Qaim said.

The Chief Minister stressed that despite the international economic recession, the PPP government managed to create 65,000 jobs for the youth in Sindh while also extending benefits to over one million poor women through Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Income Support Programme (BISP).

"We also distributed free agricultural land to poor peasants so that they can cultivate their own land," he said, adding that 62,000 acres of land had been distributed so far and the remaining 45,000 acres would be given soon.

Responding to the complaints of local people about the shortage of irrigation water, the Sindh Chief Minister said the government was working on several schemes for the rehabilitation of canals and water-courses to increase their capacity.

"Shortage often occurs due to long neglect of the capacity of canals and watercourses which has reduced and this hampers water supply to the tail-end areas," he explained.

Lauding the services of Shaheed Ismail Odhejo, Qaim ali Shah recalled that Odhejo was a brave and sincere worker of PPP who was gifted with a natural talent to organize the party in his area.

"Besides his medical profession, he was an expert of accounting and administration," he added, saying the PPP was bestowed with brave and loyal workers who always rendered sacrifices for the cause of democracy.

"No political party in the South Asian region including the Congress Party of India has such a record of sacrifices like the PPP," he pointed out.

He said the PPP was still a popular party among the people, adding that the party's government would foil all nefarious designs of anti democratic elements which were against democracy, development and peace in Pakistan.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister announced construction of an auditorium in the name of Shaheed Ismail Odhejo, a library and a bridge on the Phuleli Canal at Matli.

He also announced supply of natural gas to Tando Ghulam Ali and Dumbalo areas of Badin and said that Rs 60 million were being spent on the construction of a hospital in Badin.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011