At its meeting held recently with Gul-e-Farkhanda in the chair, the National Assembly Standing Committee on Population Welfare is reported to have expressed dissatisfaction at the performance of the Ministry of Population Welfare, particularly its failure to implement the project of the National Trust for Population Welfare (Natpow).
It will be noted that, as the chairperson pointed out, the ministry was unable to implement the project for the last many years despite availability of funds. According to her, at least 5,000 vacancies were lying vacant across the country in the population sector, have yet to be filled.
She is reported to have made special mention of the poor condition of Family Welfare Centers (FWCs) in Northern Areas, which she had personally visited and where services were either non-existent or the available outlets were found to be far below the required standard.
Again, recalling that different goals of the International Conference on Population Development (ICPD) were to be divided to ensure proper implementation, she deplored the ministry's negation of its suggestions, because of some reservations and that these could not be fully implemented.
The committee will be seen to have rightly asked the ministry to set up a separate vigilance directorate to monitor the progress of the ICPD programme. The same can be said about its suggestion for including the Youth Ministry in the Natpow along with the other ministries, to streamline youth segment of welfare.
Responding to questions on the occasion, Population Secretary Shehzado Shaikh pointed out that the task of implementation rested with provincial governments and that the centre had handed over the required resource to them. He also said that population growth target could not be achieved without giving training to all the doctors and paramedical staff.
Moreover, referring to the suggestion for a separate vigilance directorate in the ministry, he regretted that capacity for such directorate did not exist in the PC-I of the project, and that the ministry could not do it without Planning Commission's prior approval.
In so far as the chairperson's observations about conditions in the Northern Areas are concerned, the secretary is reported to have attributed them to lack of infrastructure and to peculiar socio-cultural values in the area, thereby seemingly explaining the ministry's inability to achieve its goals.
However, the committee asked the ministry to fill the vacant posts in the population sector to ensure timely completion of ongoing projects. It also directed the ministry to ensure presence of representatives from all the concerned provinces, besides AJK and NAs in the next meeting of the committee.
It will thus be noted that although the government has been quite ambitious about addressing the concerns over population welfare, when it comes to implementation side of policy and plans, it remains, usually marred by one foreseen problem or the other.
It was in July last year that the NA committee, while discussing the state of affairs of Natpow, constituted a 5-member sub-committee to look into the inordinate delay in convening the meeting of the Trust, besides suggesting measures, in consultation with the ministry, and directors of Natpow, to make it fully functional and effective for the welfare of the population.
However, the committee was informed, on that occasion, that after the election of the reconstituted Board of Natpow in January 2003 it had not even met once. As for its reason, interestingly enough it was attributed to still awaited appointment of Chief Executive and of one member.
However, claiming to be already acquainted with the concerns of the committee, it was stated that a summary had been submitted to the Prime Minister for his approval of amendments to the scheme of administration, and bye-laws, following which the Board would be constituted, and that its meeting would be promptly summoned.
At the same time, the Directors of Natpow blamed the lethargic attitude of the ministry for impeding its welfare activities. It will also be recalled that the committee chairperson, Gul-e-Farkhanda, had asked the ministry to follow the directions of the President and the Prime Minister in letter and spirit to ensure the involvement of NGOs in population welfare activities, while urging it to boost the advocacy campaign for population welfare and development, to ensure achievement of targets in line with the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.
Now that matters critical to that purpose remain still stymied from a combination of problems one is apt to be doubtful about its likely results.
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