Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that development of major cities and proper planned socio-economic uplift of secondary cities would make difference, otherwise filling the gaps would turn to be cosmetic arrangement.
The chief minister said that Rs 45 billion have been allocated for the development of Karachi. For the current financial year, his government has given a Rs 10 billion package to complete 19 important different schemes of roads, bridges, underpasses and others.
This he said while addressing the participants of 105th National Management Course at New Secretariat on Tuesday. The meeting was attended by chief secretary Siddique Memon, Additional Chief Secretary (Dev) Mohammad Wasee, Additional IG Karachi Mushtaq Maher, Principal Secretary to CM Naveed Kamran Baloch and others.
He said that poverty reduction through community development was aimed at bridging the gaps in the areas of health, education, women empowerment, legal aid, water, sanitation and skill development through local civil society. This sector has been launched at Rs 3 billion and so far 104 projects have been completed benefiting 85,000 households.
Syed Murad Shah said that on union council based poverty reduction programme has been launched for Rs 4.916 billion for six districts which include Khairpur, Sanghar, Badin, Thatta, Umerkot and Mirpurkhas. Originally this programme was launched in Kashmore and Kandhkot to reduce poverty, improve quality of poor and marginalized communities focusing women. He added that program focuses on households selected through poverty scorecard at UC level.
Talking about achievements, the chief minister said that 3630 shelterless families have been provided low-cost houses, 35,291 households given 35291 interest-free loans, income generating grants given to 3940 households, 332 villages provided drinking water, sanitation and brick pavements, 9,020 people given vocational skills. Apart from it 57,787 families have been provided health cover, 60 schools made functional and 43 villages have been rehabilitated.
Syed Murad Ali Shah went on saying that the Sindh Union Council & Community Economic Strengthening Support Programme (SUCCESS) aims at reducing poverty in 216 deprived union councils by empowering women and communities with the help of Rural Support Programme Networks ((RSPNs) in eight districts such as Tando Mohammad Khan, Sujawal, Matiari, Jamshoro, Tando Allahyar, Dadu, Kambar-Shahdadkot and Larkana.
He said that the project cost is 70 million Euros for a period of five years. There is 62 million Euro grant by EU where as 8 million Euro contribution has been provided by RSPNs partners. The project would mobilise 770,000 rural households through community organisations. The project would also build the capacity of 36,270 local staff and community representatives. It would increase 30 percent average income of poor household.
He said that the World Bank assisted Rs 4117.9 billion nutrition support programme (NSP) has been launched in nine districts, Kamber, Larkana, Kashmore, Jacobabad, Tharparkar, Umerkot, Badin, Sanghar and Tando Mohammad Khan. Under USAID a $20 million Maternal & Child Nutrition Stunting Reduction Programme has been launched in Ghotki, Khairpur and Naushehroferoze. 60 million Euros `Improved Nutrition in Sindh' has been started in Sujwal, TM Khan, Matiari, Tando Allahyar, Dadu, Larkana, Kamber-Shahdadkot and Jamshoro.
Some special health and nutrition programmes have been started exclusively for Thar.
Talking about Energy sector Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said that there is a shortage of 1200 MW of electricity and 180 MMCFD shortfall of gas in Sindh. 30 percent of the population is not connected to electric grid. About 70 million, being 39 percent of the population, is facilitated with gas supply.
He added that his government had taken special initiatives for generating alternate energies, wind, solar, bio-energy, hyder (run of river), development of Thar coal infrastructure and establishment of Sindh Transmission & Dispatch Company (STDC).
He also briefed the participants about Bus Rapid Transport Corridor. He gave details on Green Line, Red Line, Yellow Line, Orange Line, Purple Line, Aqua Line. Syed Murad Ali Shah also talked about water conservation and said that the Sindh government has started lining of Rohri Canal, the largest canal in Asia. "We line 10 kilometers every year. The lining would not only conserve water but reduce seepage, occurrence of breaches, seepage and it would help to rehabilitate thousands of acres of water logged and destroyed land," he said.. "I have put in place a good team in the cabinet and in the bureaucracy and trying that everyone should do his work in time- this would make the difference," he said.