ISLAMABAD, Sept 9: Federal Minister for Women Development, Social Welfare and Special Education Zobaida Jalal on Thursday said formation of a new social development policy was in its final stages and would soon be brought before the cabinet for approval.

She said this during her visit to the National Council of Social Welfare here. The new policy, Ms Jalal said, was aimed at establishing close links between welfare organizations, government and the masses and enabling the poor and needy to benefit from various schemes to a much greater extent.

In this regard, data of all volunteer organizations would be facilitated to the people on websites for providing them easy access to information. Besides, the idea of the 'E-government' would be promoted in a bid to ensure fair running of all the affairs of the social welfare department.

She also appreciated the schemes which had been initiated by the National Council of Social Welfare and stressed that targets set by the government in the social sector should be achieved within the stipulated time. She asked the department to work with dedication in order to avoid any delay in the implementation of the schemes.

Some new schemes, she said, would also be introduced and steps would be taken to ensure that masses were the real beneficiaries of these schemes. Training would also be provided to officials of the social welfare department for improving their efficiency.

She said the government would continue its policies of good governance for improving the performance in the social welfare and special education sectors and making the country a true welfare Islamic state.

Ms Jalal said Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz wanted positive effects of all government policies at the grass-root level and it was the duty of all other departments to back his mission in this regard.

Chairman of National Council for Social Welfare Iftikharuddin, while briefing Ms Jalal about various projects, said maximum participation of the volunteer organizations and people would be ensured in the development of the social sector.

He said the welfare department would also submit its proposals to the government till October, regarding an Asian Development Bank's project for making the environment of the department more conducive for volunteers. The National Council for Social Welfare, he said, was also introducing some changes in its set up in a bid to meet various challenges.