KARACHI, Sept 5: Behaviour changes, stringent vigilance on the dispensation of available resources and sound public/private partnerships were identified as the key requirements to attain the targets set under the First National Population Policy of the country.

Participants at the seminar on “Population Policy: Challenges for Implementation” held here on Thursday under the aegis of the Population Association of Pakistan, acknowledged the growing acceptance of the population control programme. Explicit references were made to the lack of political will and inadequacies with the availability of funds, and streamlining of the same, as well as the non-involvement of adolescents and youth, and in the non-emancipation of women as major barriers.

Dr Abdul Hafiz Sheikh, Sindh Minister for Finance and Planning, who was the chief guest on the occasion, sought the involvement of all stake holders in achieving the goal set under the National Population Policy 2002, initiated on the eve of the World Population Day (July 11).

Citing implementation as the key for success of any programme, the minister stressed that resources be well spent and called upon the stake holders to demand transparency in public welfare projects initiated in their respective areas.

“Lack of resources is defined as poverty,” the minister said, adding that the mess the present government had to face as it assumed power is gradually being corrected, and that much is yet to be done.

Dr Sheikh, maintaining that the outcome of policies introduced by the present regime could be realised in the coming years, referred to some revolutionary steps taken for the uplift of people.

The steps, he said, were with particular reference to education, and mentioned that Sindh was the first province to make education free upto the matric level.

The Sindh finance minister also mentioned the provision of free of cost text books for every single child in primary schools of the province, besides a 300 per cent increase in the non-salary budgets of primary schools across the province.

With regard to girls education, he said that Rs18 million have been allocated by the Sindh government to ensure a rise in the enrolment of girl students.

For that very purpose, stipends are being offered to girls attending primary schools, he said, further mentioning that a Rs1 million stipend provision for youth, both girls and boys, who were willing to seek higher education but may not afford the same, would be provided.

Earlier, panelists including Prof Anita Ghulam Ali, Dr Mehtab Karim, Mohsina Bilgrami, Zafar Iqbal, Ashfaq Memon, Arif Hasan, Ghazala Ahmed, Dr Rehana Ahmed and Zeba Sathar also spoke.—APP