KARACHI: Govt working for welfare of people, says Ibad
KARACHI, April 19: The Governor, Ishratul Ibad, has said the government was working under a multi-dimensional strategy for poverty alleviation and improving the quality of life of the common man.
In this regard, he stressed improving the working conditions of workers and ensuring the implementation of welfare projects for them.
He was chairing a meeting at the Governor’s House in which projects of health, education, housing and welfare for workers and their families were reviewed.
The Provincial Minister for Labour, Adil Siddiqi, and Secretary Nasar Hayat briefed the governor about ongoing measures in this regard.
Mr Ibad was informed that the wages of non-skilled workers had been increased from Rs2,500 to Rs3,000 per month with determination of minimum wages of three categories of skilled workers.
These include skilled workers of auto workshops and the garage industry; readymade garments, textile, construction, rice husking, and glass industries; and pharmaceuticals, brick kilns, petroleum, iron and fabricated steel, printing press and tannery industries.
Besides, it was informed that work was in progress to determine the minimum wages of skilled workers of 18 more industries.
As regards health facilities, it was stated that 70 per cent of the Sessi budget was allocated for medical facilities, which was being provided through four major hospitals, five medical centres and 39 dispensaries being run under Sessi.
At all medical outlets, qualified medical staff was appointed and quality branded medicines were being supplied.
This year, Rs563.550 million had been allocated for medical care and an estimated 904,805 workers would get medical facilities. Till January 2006, 12,402 workers had taken advantage of these facilities while during this period 10,375 children were vaccinated against different diseases.
The Secretary Industries, Nasar Hayat, said an eight-bed coronary unit has been set up at the Valika Hospital Karachi besides establishing a well-equipped neurology department. While new dialysis machines, ETT, echo cardiac machine and ventilators and monitors had also been provided to the hospital.
It was informed that besides re-construction of an emergency ward, laser equipments and other facilities had been installed in the eye ward.
The meeting was told that 18 new ambulances had been provided to various hospitals in the province while a children ward had been constructed at the Sessi hospital in Hyderabad.
In addition, the capacity of hospitals in Hyderabad, Karachi, Sukkur, Kotri, Nooriabad, Dhabeji, Jacobabad, Nawabshah and other areas had been increased and new equipments were made available to them.
The meeting was briefed about housing facilities being provided to workers including construction of houses and flats and future projects.
It was pointed out that a coordinated programme was under implementation for the education of workers’ children under the Sindh Workers Welfare Board.
The Labour Minister, Adil Siddiqi, informed that the department was bearing all the expenses of workers’ children studying in any big or professional institution.
He said that besides establishment of various model schools and other educational institutions, stipends were also granted.
The labour department, he said, also bore the expenditure of dowry on the occasion of the wedding of workers’ daughters, he informed.—APP
