Sindh CM orders survey to determine poverty level

Says poverty level depends not only on income but access to services

KARACHI: The Sindh government has decided to conduct a scientific survey to assess and measure the poverty ratio in the province so that it can be addressed accordingly. This was decided in a meeting on Monday, presided over by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and attended by Planning and Development (P&D) Chairperson Muhammad Waseem, Principal Secretary to CM Sohail Rajput, Finance Secretary Dr Noor Alam, CM Secretariat Additional Secretary Fayaz Jatoi, Fatah Tunio of P&D and others.



Shah said that the Sindh government was working on poverty reduction by launching different projects and schemes but even then there should be a scientific method to measure the poverty ratio and level in the province.

Explaining the definition of poverty, the chief minister said that it is a condition characterised by severe deprivation of basic human needs, including food, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, education and information. "It depends not only on income but also on access to services," he added. The survey will help address the real issues to improve overall life, he added.

The chief minister directed Waseem to develop a yardstick to measure poverty in the province. Waseem said that the Bureau of Statistics was competent enough to conduct the survey.  He added that he would develop a chart and get it approved by the chief minister to start the survey across Sindh.

Shah also shared his plans to beautify all districts and taluka headquarters. The plans will be implemented on villages in the second phase. The beautification plan includes the removal of encroachments, improvement and reconstruction of roads, construction of a proper drainage system, provision of clean water schemes, and improvement in health services. As far as education is concerned a separate programme for provision of missing facilities is already in progress.

He further directed Waseem to start work on the Annual Development Programme for 2019-20 from next month. "I want to start new development schemes in districts which can preferably be completed within a year," he said. He will also declare plans for model villages where all facilities would be provided.



On the instructions of the chief minister, a team led by P&D director general was constituted to check the quality of development works and ensure their timely completion.

KBA's concerns

A 17-member delegation of Karachi Bar Association (KBA) called on Shah to discuss the issues faced by the lawyers' community. The meeting was attended by the CM's Advisor on Information Murtaza Wahab.

Acknowledging the sacrifices of the lawyers' community for the restoration of democracy, Shah said that he had special regard for them. "Father of Nation Mohammad Ali Jinnah was a leading lawyer, the founder of Pakistan Peoples Party and former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was also a lawyer, and my father was also a prominent lawyer," he said.  Therefore he has a strong bond with the lawyers' community, he added. He assured them that he would visit KBA soon and listen to their problems and resolve them there and then. 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 2^nd, 2018.