KARACHI, June 16: The Sindh government proposes to distribute about 137,000 acres of barrage land among the landless farmers preferably to a lady member of the family, Sindh chief minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah announced in his budget speech on Monday in the Sindh Assembly.

“We are evolving a support package, which will include microfinance, subsidised agricultural inputs’’ he said while informing the assembly that the revenue department has given details of 212,864 acres of land available in different districts. Of this about 137,000 acres is barrage land, which can be distributed among the poor landless haris (farmer) of same dehs and talukas.

He announced a more than Rs4 billion programme for extensive training of young men and women in different trades and disciplines. Of this the current ADP stipulates Rs2.9 billion, while the provincial government is seeking federal government support for the balance amount.

Outlining the PPP-dominated coalition government’s strategy for poverty reduction and skill development, the Sindh chief minister, who also holds the responsibilities of finance, planning and development, called for revitalisation of rural economy and rural reforms programme as one of the four interventions his government intends to make.

Scaling up availability of micro financer for the poor is another important component of poverty reduction programme. The government, he said, is seeking partnership with existing rural support organisations to reach the poor at the union council level.

The chief minister disclosed that an endowment of Rs500 million has been created for targeting poor women in urban and rural areas. Villages with 50 to 200 households are being further regularised to provide poor people with property titles.

Housing for poor is a major intervention under which the Sindh government plans to provide 100,000 houses within next two to three years. He announced the institution of Rs2 billion revolving fund for which the government is seeking federal support also. He said a Peoples Housing Cell has been created under the supervision of a special assistant to the chief minister.

A steering committee with members drawn from Abad, Saiban and Urban Resource Centre is being set up. Low cost housing units will be constructed in all major towns.

A major initiative being taken by the government for skill development of poor semi-literate and educated young people in Sindh is through Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Youth Development Programme under which 100,000 young persons are to be trained in next two years.

Training for youth will be linked to market demand under which over 40,000 matriculates and below will be trained in construction and other industrial skills for three to 12 months. About 8,000 young persons will be trained in agriculture, livestock, fisheries and other trades. About 3,800 men and women will be trained as paramedics and mid wife courses, 4,000 in IT and arrangements are being made for youth training in textiles, garments and automobiles.

Another vital component of the strategy is setting up of Sindh Technical and Vocational Training Authority. Syed Qaim Ali Shah announced that an allocation for setting up this authority has been made in the budget and an Act will be submitted in the assembly.

He said the strategy was two-pronged. On short-term basis the government intends to put in place a plan to reduce poverty through financial support and also to develop skills in the youth. On a medium-term basis, the government plans to concentrate on investment and growth in small and medium industry, raise agricultural productivity, attract investment in mineral sector and create environment for improving service industry.