KARACHI, Nov 22: Sindh Population Welfare Minister Syed Ali Bakhsh Shah has said postings of grade 18 district officer for population welfare in 14 districts were aimed at revamping the administration to achieve positive results.

He said federal government had given Rs800 million to the department in addition to Rs33 million given by the provincial government to control population in Sindh.

Addressing a press conference in the committee room of his office on Wednesday, the minister said the department had sent a summary to the chief minister for provision of incentives to small families.

As soon as the summary is approved, the incentive programme to popularise population welfare programme would be launched.

In reply to a question, he said growth rate of population in rural areas was on the higher side and in Sindh the highest growth rate was recorded three per cent in Thatta while over all growth rate in Sindh was being brought down from 2.1 per cent in the year 2002-03 to 1.76 per cent by 2007-08.

The Sindh government had achieved 1.9 per cent growth rate, he pointed out and said this rate was over two per cent in Punjab. He said the government was trying to create awareness about population among people through Imams, Khatibs and scholars.

In reply to a question, he said contraceptive use rate was 34 per cent in 2002-03 in Sindh while efforts were being made to get the target of 44.78 per cent by the year 2007-08.

Mr Shah said the department had 1,000 vacancies including 95 for doctors and other staff required for activating FWCs, RHCs and MHCs which would soon be filled.