KARACHI, Feb 22: Sindh government departments have been asked to reformulate their respective strategies for optimum use of available resources to bring prosperity to the people of the province.

With exploration of new reserves of gas, petroleum, minerals and other natural resources, in recent past, the province had become more resource rich, besides registering an increase in energy production, and there was a need to prepare a comprehensive policy to pass on the benefits accrued from these resources to the people, Chief Secretary Dr Mutawakkil Kazi said during a meeting with the secretaries of the departments, held last week.

Redetermining of the strategy was a part of the "Sindh Vision 2015" programme, which was being prepared to strengthen economy, besides social values, in the province, and to improve its education system, Dr Kazi added.

To check the rising unemployment among youths, short and long-term plans had been worked out to make best use of the available manpower, he said, adding that the continuous ban for the last seven years had severely undermined the government efforts for attaining its social objectives, aimed at promoting literacy, providing medical amenities and improving living standard of the common man.

He said the newly set up health units and schools remained non-operational for want of staff. In the same manner, effective policing in the overcrowded urban centres remained unfeasible as the present strength of the police force could not cope with the crimes in sprawling cities, he added.

Job opportunities continued to be shrinking in the government sector due to privatization of the financial, educational, and other institutions, while the private sector had failed to come up to the government expectations, despite the investment-friendly policies of the regime, he said.

Mr Kazi said the government had also chalked out a plan to lay a network of industries in the province, which would help check the rising graph of unemployment and also the migration of the people from small towns and rural areas to big cities.

The plan included setting up of 15 small industrial estates, besides two industrial parks, he elaborated and expressed hope that it would generate enough employment and economic activity in the province to put Sindh on the road to progress and prosperity.

Besides, various other initiatives were also being under taken, including the provision of loans under self-employment scheme, to help skilled manpower in establishing their own businesses, official sources informed, adding the government had also decided to involve every forum, including district and provincial assemblies and reputed NGOs etc, in preparation of the strategy to ensure all round development in the province.

In addition, instructions were also issued for improving efficiency of the departments through observation of rules and effective monitoring of their performance, the sources said.

The Sindh Vision 2015 will also address the issues related to departmental coordination, strengthening of the district governments, law and order and extension of social services, leading to poverty elevation, they added.