No change in condition of 51.5pc households: PSLM survey 2004-05
By Mubarak Zeb Khan
ISLAMABAD, Aug 31: More than 51.5 per cent households in the first round of Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement (PSLM) survey have reported no change in their economic condition during the last year.
The PSLM survey report 2004-05, conducted by the Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS), a copy of which was obtained by Dawn here on Wednesday, covered 76,520 households across rural and urban communities for collecting information on a range of social sector issues — education, health and household satisfaction by facilities and services.
The finding of the report showed that in response to a question to compare their economic situation with last year, 51.5 per cent households reported no change in their economic situation, negating the government’s claim about any worthwhile economic change in people lives during the last year of the present government.
Moreover, 23.9 per cent of households reported that their economic conditions had become worse or much worse and only 24.2 reported better or much better improvements in their lives during the last year.
However, when asked to compare with the economic situation of the community where they live, 59 per cent reported no change in their economic condition, 9.6 per cent reported worse or much worse and 25.2 per cent reported better or much better.
The province-wise statistics showed that 62.28 per cent households in Balochistan reported no change in their living standard, followed by 55.63 per cent in Sindh, 49.62 per cent in Punjab and 42.39 per cent in NWFP. Around 23.1 per cent households in NWFP reported that their economic condition have become worse, followed by 20.58 per cent in Sindh, 18.81 per cent in Punjab and 17.30 per cent in Balochistan.
The report showed that the gross enrolment rate (GER) for primary schools, aged five to nine, had increased from 72 per cent in 2001-02 to 86 per cent in 2004-05. The net enrolment rate (NER) was 42 per cent in 2001-2, substantially lower than the GER because of the enrolment of coverage children in primary schools. However, it increased significantly between 2001-02 and 2004-05 — from 42 per cent to 52 per cent.
The PSLM round showed a decrease in the share of primary enrolment in government schools. The overall share declined from 74 per cent in 2001-02 to 72 per cent in 2004-05. The GER, aged 10-12, for middle level increased from 41 to 46 per cent, whereas the NER rose moderately from 16 per cent to 18 per cent. There remained a vast difference between urban and rural areas in middle level enrolment rates.
In the matric level, aged 13-14, the GER increased to 44 per cent from 42 per cent and the NER from nine per cent to 11 per cent in 2004-05, which was moderate but the real impact would be observed after four/five years when the existing primary level cohort would reach the matric level, the report added.
The report says that there was an increase in the proportion of persons — 10 years and above who reported that they were literate. This has risen from 45 per cent in the Pakistan Integrated Household Surveys (PIHS) 2001-02 to 53 per cent in the PSLM 2004-05. This increase has taken place in both for men and women and across all provinces. Adult literacy — 15 years above — has been worked for the first time and it has increased from 43 per cent in PIHS 2001-02 to 50 per cent in PSLM 2004-05.
In health, the PSLM report includes sickness, injuries, immunization, diarrhoea and the use of pre- and post-natal services. Sickness and injuries showed the prevalence rate of 7.10 per cent, and in 93.38 per cent cases these people visited health consultants.
The study revealed that there was a significant decrease in trend in urban and rural areas to consult government hospitals, which declined from 42 per cent to 25 per cent during the last year.
The analysis of housing units by tenure revealed that 86.6 per cent of households had their own house and seven per cent live on rented accommodation. There has been an improvement in tap water supplies from 25 per cent to 39 per cent between 2001-02 and 2004-05.
