Karachi:The Chief Secretary Sindh Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah presided over a meeting of steering committee to oversee the implementation of Pro-poor Social Protection and Economic Sustainability Initiatives.
The meeting was attended by Haris Gazdar, special assistant to CM Sindh, finance Secretary Syed Hassan Naqvi, Secretary livestock and Fisheries Aijaz Ahmed Mahesar, Secretary Social welfare and other officials.
The Chief Secretary said that the Sindh Government has earmarked Rs34 billion in the annual budget for the fiscal year 2020-21 to help citizens affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, “This budget was made to ensure food security, reduce inflation and unemployment” he said.
The CS further stated that some Rs20 billion are proposed for the cash transfers to those affected by corona virus under the Sindh Peoples Support Program through the Social Protection Strategic Unit (SPSU) and Social Welfare Department (SWD).” He added. The Chief Secretary Sindh further stated that Rs5bn were also allocated for soft loan program for small and medium enterprises in the province while subsidies of Rs1bn would be provided to purchase rice seeds and another Rs1bn for pesticide.
The Chief Secretary directed the concerned authorities to collect all relevant data from Nadra, BISP and the Census Department. He also directed officer concerned of the Implementation and Coordination (I and C) Department GoS to send a letter to the Census Department for the provision of data pertaining to peoples’ socio-economic conditions in the province. “The Sindh Government in the month of September to transfer cash to persons affected by the Covid19 for their economic welfare, and for the purpose a sum of Rs20 billion has been reserved in the provincial budget for 2020-21,” Said CS Sindh.
During the meeting the secretary livestock and fisheries Aijaz Ahmed Mahesar presented a comprehensive plan regarding interventions in the livestock sector. As per the plan three steps will be taken, first Livestock breeding will be improved through provision of breeding bulls to poor livestock farmers and for this the department will procure 1000 bulls and 2000 poultry males and will place them at union council level, 2nd Livestock breed improvement through artificial Insemination services to poor livestock farmers at free of cost and for this high yielding exotic and local breeds bulls will be purchased and stationed at Semen Production Units (SPUs) of the Department to enhance production of semen and cover through artificial insemination.
Additionally high milk and meat yielding bull semen will be imported for AI services to animals of poor farmers and 3rd the capacity building of the poor household youth in the field of Artificial Insemination for breed improvement consequently productivity. While approving the plan of livestock department the chief secretary Sindh stated that the Government of Sindh has allocated 500.00 million for Livestock Breeding in order to address post Covid-19 Crisis and to support and uplift socio-economic situation of livestock farmers.