KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has decided to conduct a scientific survey to assess and measure ratio of poverty in the province before launching a poverty reduction programme.

The decision was taken in a meeting held here on Monday at the CM House to review Sindh’s development programme.

The meeting was chaired by CM Shah and attended by Planning and Development Board chairman Mohammad Waseem, Principal Secretary to CM Sohail Rajput, Finance Secretary Dr Noor Alam, P&D Secretary Fatah Tunio and other officials.

The chief minister said that poverty was a condition characterised by severe deprivation of basic human needs, including food, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, education and information.

Discusses plan to beautify district and taluka headquarters

“It depends not only on income but also on access to services,” Mr Shah said, adding that he wanted to conduct a scientific study or survey to measure the poverty ratio persisting in the province so that it would help to address the real issues to improve overall life.

He directed the P&D chairman to work out a detailed chart or yardstick to measure poverty in the province.

The CM was informed that the bureau of statistics was competent enough to conduct the survey.

The P&D chairman said he would work out a chart and get it approved from the chief minister to start the survey all over Sindh.

The chief minister said that he also had a plan to beautify each and every district and taluka headquarters in the first phase and villages in the second phase.

The beautification plan will include removal of encroachments, improvement or reconstruction of roads, construction of a proper drainage system, provision of clean drinking water schemes and improved health services.

Besides, he said, under the regional development plan a separate programme for provision of missing facilities, including education, was in progress.

He directed the P&D chairman to start working on the annual development programme of financial year 2019-20 from next month.

“I want to start new development schemes in districts which preferably could be completed within a year,” he said and added that he would declare some model villages where all facilities would also be provided.

In this connection, a team had been constituted to check the quality of development works and ensure their timely completion.

KBA delegation calls on CM

The chief minister also met a 17-member delegation of the Karachi Bar Association (KBA) on Monday at CM House.

The delegation apprised him of the issues being faced by the legal fraternity.

Murtaza Wahab, the CM’s adviser on law and information, also attended the meeting.

Acknowledging the sacrifices of the legal community for restoration of democracy, the CM said that he had special regards for them.

“The father of the nation Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah was a leading lawyer and similarly PPP founder [late] prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was also a lawyer and my father was also a prominent lawyer,” he said while explaining his strong bonds with the legal fraternity.

He assured the delegation that he would visit the KBA soon and listen to and resolve their problems then and there.

Published in Dawn, October 2nd, 2018