The Punjab Minister for Population Welfare, Neelam Jabbar Chaudhry, while paying glowing tributes to Benazir Bhutto Shaheed, said that PPP's manifesto clearly contains the concepts of women's welfare and population welfare, which unfortunately have not materialised so far. However, we will make every effort to materialise her vision in this regard letter and spirit.
She said that dictators had inflicted damage to the constitution to prolong their rule, however, the present government with the co-operation of coalition parties is trying to restore the constitution in its original shape. She said that PPP faced great hardship in its struggle against dictatorship and for restoration of real democracy in the country.
"The PPP does not believe in politics of victimisation and wants to take on board all its coalition partners in every national policy matter. As a result of policies pursued by the PPP government, a new era of political tolerance would be usher in the country.
While talking to women delegations, doctors and members of NGOs, here on Saturday, Neelam Jabbar said that Safe Delivery Centres (SDCs) would be established at union council levels to reduce mother and child mortality rate especially in far flung areas of the province. The Minister said that mother and child mortality rate is high in remote areas due to inept handling by illiterate and unskilled midwives. Under a pilot project, Safe Delivery Centre would be set up in one district initially and after its success the project would be replicated in other districts as well.
She said during the current fiscal year, Rs 59.72 billion will be spent on the social sector from developmental programme which is the 46 percent of our ADP, so that to upgrade the socio economic status of the people of the province, she added. She said that despite financial constraints Rs 175 billion have been allocated for annual development programme.
Neelam said that health, education, law and order and other sectors faced decay during the eight years of dictatorship. She said that medical facilities were available to influential people under the last regime and these people were availing free medicines and treatment facilities in government hospitals at all levels. However, she said that the present government has ensured modern health facilities and free medicines to poor and resource less people.