Sindh Govt Launches Rural Support Progamme To Reduce Poverty, Improve Quality Of Life: Chief Minister

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah Monday said that the provincial government envisioned Union Council Based Poverty Reduction Programme (UCBPRP) with the specific objectives to reduce poverty; and improve the quality of life of poor and marginalized communities through social mobilization, capacity development; asset creation and income generation

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Nov, 2021 ) :Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah Monday said that the provincial government envisioned Union Council Based Poverty Reduction Programme (UCBPRP) with the specific objectives to reduce poverty; and improve the quality of life of poor and marginalized communities through social mobilization, capacity development; asset creation and income generation.

"It is focused on women empowerment, and the livelihood of poor and poorest households, identified through a scientific survey and programme is being implemented through Rural Support Programs (RSPs)." He stated this while talking to a delegation of Rural Support Programme Network (RSPN) led by its chairman Shoaib Sultan Khan, according to a news release.

CEO RSPN Dittal Kalhoro and others were also part of the delegation. Chairman P&D Hassan Naqvi, PSCM Sajid Jamal Abro, provincial Secretary Sindh Rural Support Programme Shireen Narejo also attended the meeting.

CM Murad Ali Shah said the provincial government had initiated the rural support programme in two districts- Shikarpur and Kashmore on pilot basis for Rs 3.36 billion in 2009 further extended in two more districts, Jacobabad and Tharparkar for Rs. 2 billion in 2010. "The programme achieved great success in these four districts by covering 157 Union Councils (UCs) where 10,043 families were given Income Generating Grants (IGG), 112,410 households given revolving interest free loans as Community Investment Funds, 34,211 persons given skill through Vocational Training Program, 9,072 Low Cost Housing units provided to shelter less families, 4,899 Traditional Birth Attendants (trained, 195 Schools functionalized, 114,328 families protected under Micro Health Insurance (MHI) plan, 1,124 Drinking Water Supply Schemes were repaired, 343,084 Households Organized at community and village level, 70 business Development Groups (BDGs) developed, 43 Villages rehabilitated in the post flood period.

The program has further been extended in six districts- Badin, Khairpur Mirs, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Thatta and Umerkot, at the cost of Rs. 6.351 billion and has so far achieved the considerable success by covering 367 Union Councils (UCs), 145.173 households identified as extremely poor, 206,908 households identified as poor 191.045 households identified as transitory poor, 407.212 households identified as non-poor 580,749 Households organized; 35,426 Community Organizations (COs) formed, 4,214 Village Organizations (VOs) formed; 250 Local Support Organizations (LSOs) formed, 12,231 households given Income Generating Grants (IGG), 65,914 households given revolving interest free loans as Community Investment Funds (CIF), 13,024 persons imparted skill through Vocational Training Program (VTP), 3,126 Low-Cost Housing (LHC) initiated 110 Business Development Groups (BDGs) developed Expansion of Peoples' Poverty Reduction Program.

The CM said the Sindh government had signed contract with SRSO on January 28, 2020 for implementation of EPPRP in districts Ghotki and Sukkur with a cost of Rs. 5.990 billion to cover 103 Union Councils with the targeted interventions to reduce poverty at grass root level and 360,620 Households would be surveyed, 10,000 Households would be provided Income Generation Grant. "100,000 Households will benefit from Community Investment Funds for productive and Income Generating activities for economic sustenance and 10,000 Households will be provided technical and material support under Low Cost Housing," he said and added " 9,000 persons will be given Vocational Training to equip themselves with moderns skills, 10,000 persons will be provided Kitchen Gardening facilitation, 103 Union Councils will be provided support under Village Improvement Program, 71 Business Development Groups will be established to provide platform for better linkages with the markets of major cities for marketing and selling of their products.

The Sindh Union Council and Community Economic Strengthening Support (SUCCESS) programe has been launched with the support of European Union for reduction of poverty and enhancement of livelihoods by investing more than Rs. 8 billion over a period of 5 years covering districts of Tando Muhammad Khan, Sujawal. Matiari, Jamshoro, Tando Allahyar; Dadu, KambarShadadkot and Larkana.

The implementation of SUCCESS programme started with the Poverty ScoreCard survey identifying the poor and poorest households, including 33.347 households identified as extremely poor, 61.746 households identified as poor, 50,262 households identified as transitory poor, 122,468 households identified as non-poor.

The CM said and added that based on the data, SUCCESS has so far covered 316 UC by giving income generating grants to 18,889 households, 65,389 households given revolving interest free loans as Community Investment Funds (CIF) 14,097 persons imparted skill through Vocational Training Program (VTP), 131,238 people insured under Micro Health Insurance, 8262 patient treated under MHI. 928 Community Physical Infrastructure plans initiated.

He directed P&D department to prepare a plan to provide low-cost housing to shelterless families which he said would be initiated during the current financial year.

Later,CM Sindh Murad Ali Shah also met 48 member delegation of under-training Assistant Collector Customs led by Director General Suraiya Butt at the CM HouseThe delegation was briefed about the development works, government priorities and commitment to restore law and order in the province.

The visiting officers asked a number of questions from the chief minister which he responded in detail.