QUETTA: The Balochistan cabinet on Monday decided to effectively implement the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government’s flagship programme Ehsaas in the province after Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation Dr Sania Nishtar briefed it on its salient features and plans.

Dr Nishtar, who specially attended the cabinet meeting, talked about the basic objective of the programme. She said Ehsaas had been designed to alleviate poverty and provide financial and technical assistance to poor people which would boost economic activities at the lower level.

“Some 10 million people would be provided social protection under the programme across the country,” she told the cabinet, adding that Balochistan would get special attention in the programme on special directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

She said loans without interest would be provided to poor people so that they could start their own businesses.

Initially, Dr Nishtar said, the programme was being implemented in 11 districts of Balochistan. It would be expanded to other districts gradually with consultation with the provincial government, she added.

She said the process of providing interest-free loans and financial assistance to deserving people had begun. People had already been identified and for the purpose a survey was conducted, she added.

She said the federal government wanted to impart technical training to people.

Members of the Balochistan cabinet promised their cooperation for success of the Ehsaas programme in the province. It also approved appointment of a focal person for implementation on Ehsaas in the province.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Jam Kamal Alyani appreciated the launch of Ehsaas and said that the province would fully benefit from the programme.

He termed it a positive development for socio-economic progress in the country, saying that the provincial government would play its wholehearted role for success of the programme.

The cabinet approved amendments in the Electricity Rules, 1937. It also approved provision of land for construction of 200-kilometre long Yak Mach-Kharan road.

The cabinet also reviewed the report submitted by the sub-committee of the cabinet on the affairs of Children Hospital Quetta.

It was decided to make more consideration on the report.

The cabinet also approved correction in certain mistakes in the book of annual development programme for the financial year 2019-20.

Published in Dawn, September 3rd, 2019