Sindh
Sindh sees 5mn people below poverty line: Murad tells IRC chief
KARACHI: The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has agreed to work with the Sindh government in post-flood relief activities, and climate change-related plans, and to help in the health sector, particularly against malnutrition.
This emerged in a meeting between the Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and IRC CEO Mr. David Miliband (through video link) on Friday morning.
The CM told the IRC chief that as per the Post-Disaster Needs Assessment report Sindh has been at the receiving end of about 61 percent of the total damages and 75 percent of the total losses due to the floods. Adding that the adverse impact of climate change has disrupted every conceivable facet of life in the province.
Mr. Shah said that the devastating impact of floods has ‘undone’ a significant chunk of public sector investments in the province as it permeated across all sectors. He added that 24 out of the 30 districts have been declared ‘calamity-hit where the floods have affected more than 12.4 million people, with more than 1000 lives lost as well as over 2 million housing units impacted, and over 450,000 livestock perished.
The CM said that about 20,000 schools and more than 1000 health facilities have been damaged. He added that about 8,500 km of the road network and 7,300 km of irrigation network has also been damaged and the estimates suggested the provincial poverty rate may increase, pushing an additional 5 million people below the poverty line with over 4.3 million additional people facing the threat of food insecurity.
The IRC CEO said that his organization was interested in working with the provincial government on relief activities, climate-change-related plans, and in the health sector, particularly in malnutrition and mother-child health. He added that his organization was working in eight districts of the province, Dadu, Jamshoro, Thatta, Sujawal, Badin, Tharparkar, and Umerkot to address malnutrition issues among pregnant mothers and mother-child healthcare.
The Chief Minister and Mr. Miliband also discussed the strategic plan developed by the provincial government.
Strategic Action Plan
The CM said that the ‘Strategic Action Plan’ developed by his government aimed to guide Sindh’s Flood Response and priorities from a short-, medium- and long-term perspective. “The core focus of the action plan is to serve as a guide for strategic prioritization for planning, programming, and implementation for Sindh in the post-flood context,” he said and added the strategic action plan prioritized critical intervention areas to address systemic issues, especially concerning disasters which include `Rectifying the Systemic Issues, People-Centered Approach, Building Upon the Existing Models and Systems and Aligning Existing Budgetary Framework with Resource Commitments.
The strategic action plan focuses on Irrigation and Water Resource Infrastructure (including Drainage Systems), housing and community facilities, livelihood, communications (Roads Infrastructure), Education, Health, and Human Impact (Poverty, Social Protection, Food Security, Psycho-Social impact).
Murad Ali Shah told IRC that the growers have been given cash to purchase wheat seed at a rate of Rs5000 per acre, as a result, Sindh has grown a bumper wheat crop during the ongoing Rabi season. He also added that the flood-affected people were being given cash to reconstruct/repair their damaged houses. The work has been started in Hyderabad and Sukkur Divisions. The IRC CEO told the chief minister that he would discuss the issues faced by the provincial government with his team and then visit Karachi to meet in person to finalize the relief activities program.
ISLAMABAD: Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon called on President Asif Ali Zardari at the President’s House Islamabad. Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon gave a detailed briefing to President Asif Ali Zardari on several development projects in Sindh, specifically ongoing transport projects.
President Asif Ali Zardari ordered that all transport projects in Sindh be undertaken through modern technology.
President Asif Ali Zardari instructed to increase the numbers of Pink Taxi and Pink Scooty to provide special facilities to women.
President Asif Ali Zardari also said that women empowerment is our top priority, and these projects not only offer vital facilities but are also an important landmark in generating new job opportunities for women.
KARACHI: In a remarkable move, the 7th Agricultural Census 2024 – Integrated Digital Count was officially launched here on Wednesday.
The event, held in Karachi, was marked by the participation of key dignitaries, including Mr. Muhammad Ali Malkani, Minister for Livestock and Fisheries, Government of Sindh, and Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, Minister for Planning and Development and Energy, Sindh and Dr. Naeem-uz-Zafar, Chief Statistician, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), whereas secretaries, director generals and other officers of different provincial departments also attended the launch.
Dr. Naeem-uz-Zafar, in his keynote address, emphasized the transformational nature of this census. “This is not just a data collection exercise; it is a foundation for evidence-based decision-making that will steer our agriculture sector towards sustainable growth. For the first time, we are adopting an integrated and fully digital approach, combining agricultural, livestock, and machinery censuses into a single, comprehensive operation,” he stated.
Highlighting the census’s objectives, Dr. Naeem-uz-Zafar added, “The 7th Agricultural Census will provide critical insights into Pakistan’s agrarian structure, crop patterns, livestock population, and mechanization trends. The use of advanced tools such as tablet-based data collection, GIS dashboards, and real-time monitoring ensures accuracy, reliability, and timeliness. This initiative aligns with international best practices and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) guidelines.”
He detailed the preparations, including the extensive training of 1,695 enumerators and supervisors across 30 venues in Sindh, to ensure the quality of data collection. He also underscored Sindh’s vital role in Pakistan’s agricultural economy, with its 8.2 million acres of cultivated land and major contributions to crops like cotton, rice, sugarcane, and wheat.
Speaking on the occasion, Muhammad Ali Malkani, Minister for Livestock and Fisheries, echoed these sentiments in his address. “This census is a historic step towards modernizing our agricultural practices and addressing the challenges of food security, climate resilience, and rural development. Sindh’s agriculture sector is the backbone of its economy, supporting 37 percent of our population. The insights gained from this census will empower policymakers to make informed decisions and drive sustainable progress,” he remarked.
The Minister also lauded the collaborative efforts between federal and provincial governments, academia, and relevant stakeholders in making this initiative a reality. “The data we collect will have far-reaching impacts, shaping policies that uplift farmers, enhance productivity, and strengthen food security,” he said.
The event also featured Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, Minister for Planning and Development and Energy, who reiterated Sindh’s commitment to supporting innovative initiatives like the Integrated Digital Count. “Our government firmly believes in using technology to address the challenges faced by our agriculture sector. This census is a critical step in achieving that vision,” he stated.
The journalists present on the occasion asked questions from the dignitaries regarding the reasons of 16 years gap since the last agricultural census, and the validation, relevancy and efficacy of this census in the face of continual climate crisis. The field operations for the census will run from January 1 to February 10, 2025, with the final results expected by August 2025. This initiative reflects dedication and cooperation between the federal and provincial governments to leveraging technology for governance and ensuring the sustainable development of the agriculture sector.
KARACHI: With an aim to lower the financial burden on the provincial exchequer, the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB) started to pay private companies contracted for garbage disposal in the city in local currency instead of US dollars.
In this regard, Managing Director SSWMB Syed Imtiaz Ali Shah held a meeting with representatives of the private firms responsible for disposal of garbage in the city and apprised them of the decisions made by the steering committee of the Board.
The meeting deliberated upon the new plan of garbage disposal in the city before the expiry of the contracts made with private firms for solid waste management on district West, Malir, Keamari and East.
It was informed in the meeting that the negotiation with the contracting firms for payment in local currency had already been started.
The representatives of the private firms working in district Malir, West and Keamari informed the meeting that the verification of the staff and vehicles had been completed through a third party, while the verification was still going on in district East.
The managing-director directed the officials concerned to take steps to further improve efficiency in the new operational plan.
He asked the officials to make union committee-wise operational plan, containing complete details of daily waste volume, transport, machinery, staff and all resources to further improve the door-to-door waste collection services.
He also directed the private companies to pay the salaries of their respective staff on time. Mr Shah said that the operational plan should also include training of the staff, the strategy of separate collection of waste and date of people who picked garbage illegally.
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