KARACHI, Feb 23: Despite continuous pumping of large chunks of funds by the government and donors, the poverty was on the rise, because the ‘trickling effect’ was not reaching the masses, said speakers at a round-table conference on “Quick-Impact Initiatives to accelerate Millennium Development Goal Achievements,” here on Thursday.

They said that self-centred approach of donors and lack of proper monitoring and implementation process at government level was amongst the main causes of slow socioeconomic betterment at the grassroots level.

Sindh Minister for Planning and Development Syed Shoaib Ahmed Bukhari, addressing the moot, said over the years, poverty alleviation had become the overreaching objective of Sindh development programme. He said that the government had intensified efforts in order to realize the targeted socioeconomic indicators of the ‘Millennium Declaration”.

He said that unfortunately, Sindh’s own resource mobilization was limited and it had to depend largely on federal transfers. He said that despite these constraints, the social sector would continue to be a top priority. He said that achieving MDGs would, however, require additional resources. He hoped that federal government and other ‘development partners’ would recognize this aspect and ensure the necessary budget to support the provincial government.

He said that better convergence and strong linkages were needed among the Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSP), MDGs and overall development framework.

Additional Chief Secretary (Development) Sindh Ghulam Sarwar Khero also spoke.—PPI