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  • Jul 9th, 2014
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The Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah welcomed and appreciated the European Union for supporting Sindh Government in implementation on its five years poverty reduction Program "Sindh Union Council and Community Economic Strengthening Support (SUCESS) and offering to contribute one-third of the total cost of the Program, ie Rs 08 billion as grant, out of Rs 24 billion of the total estimated cost of the Program.

The Chief Minister also invited the European Union to avail the opportunities of investment in other sectors including energy and agriculture. The Chief Minister Sindh said this gesture would further close the bilateral relations and pave the way for new avenues of other opportunities of trade and business to both sides. This he observed while holding meeting with the Ambassador European Union Lars-Gunnar WIGEMARK and his delegation who called on him at CM House Karachi today.

Talking on the occasion, the Chief Minister Sindh said during the undemocratic period and era of dictatorship, the people of Sindh had been ignored thus resulted increase in poverty, unemployment and deprivation from their basic amenities. He said that now the democracy has been restored, people are expecting more from us; as such the PPP Government has conceived a 5 years' poverty alleviation Program at its estimated cost of Rs 24 billion under the title of Sindh Union Council and Community Economic Strengthening and planned to implement on the grass-roots level/Union Council level. He said that Sindh Government is already executing another Union Council based poverty reduction Program through Sindh Rural Support Organisation (SRSO) which started from upper Sindh. He said under this poverty alleviation Program the priority given to the empowerment of women. He said his government has now allocated Rs 1.3 billion this financial year as compared to Rs 400 million allocated in last year to implement SUCCESS as we want to extend this noble job to all district in Sindh. The Chief Minister Sindh also invited the European Union for making their investment in the other sectors of developments such as energy, agriculture and water sector. He said we are facing shortage of energy and water sources and we need technological support to fulfil the requirements. The meeting further revealed that European Union would take up seven districts of Sindh including Sujawal, Tando Muhammad Khan, Mitiari, Tando Allayar, Dadu, Larkano, and Qambar Shahdadkot comprising on 194 union councils with collaboration of local NGOs, Sindh Rural Support Program (SRSP) whereas the Sindh Government will take up 13 district including Badin, Mirpurkhas, Tharparkar, Thatta, Khairpur Mirs, Umerkot, Sanghar, Naushero-Feroz, Hyderabad, Jamshoro, Shaheed Benazirabad, Sukkur, Ghotki and Karachi comprising 414 union council including 10 rural union of Karachi.

The Chief Minister Sindh recommended for including Tharparkar and Khairpur in the list of European Union. The meeting was informed that this Program to help average population for increasing their income, develop framework for community institution that are capable of building the capacity of the poor and enabling them to come out of the vicious circle of poverty. This Program also to establish a sustainable government--people partnership by fostering community institution and community volunteers for the delivery of various services at the grass-roots level and this Program to enable the community institution to arrange a sustainable micro-finance program from community investment fund grant to be provided by this project. The Ambassador European Union Lars-Gunnar WIGEMARK while talking in the meeting expressed his keen interest in socio-economic, development of the Sindh. He and his other members of delegation also expressed their interest in the investment in energy sector and importing agro product, especially of Mangoes, however, he suggested further up-gradation of the cultivation, harvest and conservation of exportable items.

Meanwhile presiding over another meeting regarding launching of poverty alleviation Program Sindh Union Council and Community Economic Strengthening Support (SUCCESS) through Rural Support Organisation, the Chief Minister Sindh directed the officers to adopt participatory approach for implementation on this poverty alleviation Program. He said that Sindh is rich with artisans and resources and said if these resources are institutionalised the poverty would be considerably reduced from the rural areas. He asked the officers to encourage handicraft, arrange display and outlet to pave the ways for income and employment opportunities for the people of rural areas.

The Chief Minister Sindh said though Sindh Government is already implementing Union Council based poverty reduction Program through Sindh Rural Support Organisation (SRSO) but initiating the "SUCCESS" Program would be helping hand to achieve the objectives. The Chief Minister Sindh directed the officers to include the district Tharparkar and district Khairpur Mirs in the list of the European Union as these districts needs more attention.-PR

Copyright Business Recorder, 2014


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