KARACHI: Next Sindh ADP outlay to surpass Rs24 billion: Arbab
KARACHI, April 1: Sindh Chief Minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim said on Saturday that maximum possible funds would be earmarked for development projects in the next budget so that unemployment and poverty could be alleviated.
He was speaking at a meeting held in connection with annual budget for the fiscal year 2006-07. Sindh Finance Adviser M.A. Jalil, Chief Secretary Fazalur Rehman and Finance Secretary Israr Ahmed also attended the meeting.
Arbab Rahim said that 50 per cent population of the province was faced with poverty and backwardness while in five districts, 82 per cent people were faced with the same situation. “We need concrete proposals and revolutionary measures to overcome this situation,” he observed.
The chief minister said that the size of next Annual Development Programme would be bigger than the current one thus the new development outlay would surpass Rs24 billion.
The industrial estates located in Karachi, Nooriabad, Kotri, Hyderabad and Sukkur would be provided with better facilities while a proposal to set up a new industrial estate for foreign investors between Gharo and Dhabeji on the National Highway is also under consideration.
“We would also endeavour to equip public sector hospitals in the province with modern facilities to provide the poor people with better healthcare,” he said.
The meeting was informed that Rs785 million were allocated for health sector during the current year of which Rs136 million were spent by December 2005.
The chief minister said that women health projects, for which the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank had given Rs1,400 million should be completed in time. He expressed hope that the 897 development schemes of current ADP would be completed within specified time.
About education sector, he said that efforts should be made to make the free education programme of government a success and directed the officials to improve 13,967 buildings of primary, middle, secondary and higher secondary schools in the province.
Currently, he said, there were 40,559 primary, 24,000 middle, 1,543 high schools, 151 higher secondary schools, 23 intermediate colleges and 185-degree colleges in the province. He pointed out that around 2.736 million children were enrolled in primary schools in the province but efforts should be made to increase the enrolment.
“It is hoped that the enrolment would improve as during the new fiscal year it has been planned to upgrade 1,200 primary schools to middle schools, 204 secondary schools to English medium schools and 1,000 primary schools would be added 1,000 classes,” he said.
The government would focus on timely completion of development projects, he said, adding that the tourism resorts like Moen Jo Daro, Gorakh Hill Station, Rani Kot, Kot Diji and Khirthar National Park would also be developed to attract tourists.
The chief minister directed to ensure more water supply projects during the next fiscal. He was told that Rs11,935 million were being spent in Karachi and Rs6,650 million in Hyderabad on water supply and drainage projects. He said that allocations should be enhanced for forest and agriculture sectors in the new budget.
He said that his government planned to build bridges over River Indus at the distance of every five miles so that cities and towns on both banks could be connected through better communication facilities.—PPI
