Sindh plans food security, women protection schemes

Allocation of Rs30m for feasibility study of each programme approved

KARACHI:

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, presiding over the first meeting of the Sindh Social Protection Board, approved the feasibility studies of the Food Security - Bhook Mitao and Benazir Women Agriculture Workers Support programmes. These programmes are aimed at benefitting the marginalised population and will be launched after the feasibility studies.

The meeting was attended by the board members, including Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, Education Minister Syed Sardar Shah, Labour Minister Shahid Thahim, PSCM Agha Wasif, Chairman P&D Najam Shah, Secretary Finance Fayaz Jatoi, Secretary Social Protection Rafiq Mustafa, Haris Gazdar, CEO Social Protection Unit Samiullah Shaikh, Sono Khanghrani, Prof Amar Sindhu, Shabnam Baloch, Asama Bloch and others.

Secretary Social Protection Rafiq Mustafa and CEO of the Social Protection Unit Samiullah Shaikh briefed the meeting about both the programmes.

The Bhook Mitao programme is aimed at establishing a combination of instruments and scientific methods for studying food security. Under the programme vulnerable groups will be identified and feasible designs and implementations for addressing food security issues and minimising vulnerability to hunger in marginalised populations will be proposed.

The meeting approved a budget of Rs30 million for the feasibility study and other allied works.

Under the Benazir Women Agriculture Workers Support program, the Sindh government will ensure social protection to women especially those working in agriculture sector. This will be done through a Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) scheme, provided they register with the labor department and visit health facilities for medical check-ups during and after pregnancy.

To assess the feasibility of the programme and how it would be implemented, the Social Protection Strategy Unit (SPSU) would conduct a study. The board has approved Rs30 million for the feasibility study, and the Social Protection department has already started the process of hiring firms through a competitive process.

The board was also briefed about the strengthening of the Sindh social protection service delivery system. For this purpose, the mother and child support programme has been launched with $28.15 million Word Bank support. The programme has been initiated in 15 predominantly rural districts prioritising those with the highest Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI).

The CM was informed that there were 1.3 million women who would get Rs30,000 cash support each in 1,000 days while 772 health centres would also provide medical facilities under mothers and child support programme.

The board was informed that Rs313.2 million has been disbursed among 152,349 registered beneficiaries.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 30^th, 2024.