LARKANA, Dec 23: The Benazir Bhutto Income Support Programme was launched outside the mausoleum of Bhuttos in Garhi Khuda Buksh on Tuesday.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and programme’s Chairperson Farzana Raja inaugurated it.
Farzana Raja said that the mission of Ms Benazir Bhutto would be accomplished in letter and spirit after the implementation of programme. She particularly advised women to get their Computerised National Identity Cards for benefiting from it. She said that it was launched from the resting place of Benazir Bhutto on the directives of President Asif Ali Zardari.
Nadra would verify the CNICs of the needy women before delivering cheques to them she said adding that the national survey for statistical data would be conducted through government organisations. Monitoring and evolution offices had been established in all four provinces and soon regional offices would also be set up for maintaining transparency, Farzana Raja said.
MNAS would not interfere in the programme as all political parties had been taken on board as the programme was not PPP-specific, she said.
Initially, Rs34 million were allocated in the budget for it as the programme had been hailed by international organisations, she said.
Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah said that the dream of Benazir Bhutto to support underprivileged women would now be realised as selected women and widows, after every two months, will be delivered cheques of Rs2,000 at their doorsteps. Every month some 5.5 million deserving women of the country will benefit from it, he said adding that they would also be given developed land along with tractor and fertiliser.
Around 18,000 educated youth were being trained in different trades in Sindh with each being paid Rs3,000 to 7,000 per month and they would be absorbed in different jobs, inside and outside the country, on completion of training, he added.
He said that Asif Ali Zardari went to Saudi Arabia, London and the US seeking financial support adding that the country was in strong democratic hands working in accordance to the wishes of people.
He said that India would have to think hundreds of times before planning an attack on Pakistan and hoped that it would consider its aggressive statements.
Later, Farzana Raja and Qaim Ali Shah distributed cheques of Rs2,000 among 500 poor women.
Sindh ministers Pir Mazhar-ul-Haq, Ayaz Soomro, Ahga Siraj Durani also spoke on the occasion.
Mr Shah earlier visited the graves of Bhuttos and offered fateha.
He along with federal and provincial ministers reviewed the development works of the main venue being prepared for holding public meeting on Dec 27. He directed the concerned officers to complete the development works on war-footing.