‘Health top priority in Sindh's budget’

Development work likely to be curbed in favour of health, education

KARACHI: In the budget for the upcoming fiscal year, the top priority will be given to strengthening the province's healthcare system and establishing new Covid-19 hospitals, said Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Saturday.

Presiding over a meeting called to redefine the strategy for the forthcoming budget, the CM explained, "The budget for the next financial year will be devised to deal with the impact of the coronavirus and therefore, a new strategy has been worked out, under which, besides health, employment creation, social security and education are to be given importance above all."

Speaking of plans to strengthening the healthcare system, the CM stressed the need for establishing hospitals dedicated to treating Covid-19 patients.

"We are already building a coronavirus emergency centre in NIPA and similar facilities will be developed in all divisional headquarters," he told the meeting, adding that the government would also invest in equipping hospitals with all necessary equipment.

Education

The CM said that though the pandemic had affected the education sector adversely, "we will have to focus on educating our children despite limited resources."

He said that his government would introduce new modes of teaching amid the pandemic, stating that  Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani had been instructed to work out a detailed plan for online learning and offline classes so that funds could be appropriated for the purpose in the next budget.

Soft loans

Besides, the CM observed that various sectors, including small and medium-enterprises (SMEs), agriculture, livestock, and poultry, had been crumbling under a financial crunch following the lockdown and hence, soft loans and subsidies would be provided to them.

He said that short-term loans of up to Rs500,000 would be issued to small businesses, in addition to Rs2 million worth of loans for medium-sized enterprises.

Also, loans will also be issued for the purchase of export quality seeds, diammonium phosphate fertilizer and urea on subsidy, so that export-quality rice, pulses and other crops can be cultivated, the CM added.

"The agriculture minister should guide growers, particularly small growers, to opt for cultivating seasonal crops, new cash crops and export-quality crops so that they not only revive their income but also contribute to the national economy," he instructed.

The CM also announced advancing loans for the livestock and poultry sector and said that the livestock and fisheries department would be made functional to encourage and help people engage in related businesses.

Poverty alleviation

He further announced advancing interest-free loans to individuals for starting their own business under a poverty alleviation programme, which, he said, was in the pipeline. The government and its partners would also provide technical assistance to entrepreneurs under the programme and women would be given priority, he elaborated.

Development

To achieve the aforementioned objectives, the development budget will likely be curtailed, he said, adding, however, that health, education, road infrastructure, and water and sanitation projects would be given priority.

Apart from this, the CM said, the government also planned to launch mega projects based on the public-private partnership model so that the financial burden on the government could be minimised and more job opportunities could be provided.

Social protection

Shah also instructed relevant officials to devise a strategy for providing social security to those more vulnerable to a looming food security crisis.

Besides, he ordered the establishment of six shelter homes in divisional headquarters across the province and two centres for lost children in Karachi.

"This is the time to work as a welfare state and God willing, we will not leave our people alone in this critical time," he remarked.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 17^th, 2020.