LAHORE
Provincial Minister for Excise & Taxation, Finance Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman stressed the need for controlling population so that civic amenities could be available to every citizen of the country.
Talking to various delegations at his residence, Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman said the government was implementing a 3-tier strategy of sensitizing population planning in the province through proactive advocacy campaigns, enhancement and improvement in the operational efficiency of service delivery outlets and active community participation in the population programmes.
He said that a comprehensive awareness campaign would be launched in the province in this connection. He said that education and health was priority of the present government to provide quality educational and health facilities to every citizen, however, it could be achieved only when our population remain within resources.
He said that the budget allocated for education is Rs 274 billion which is 26.25 percent of total expenditures whereas the budget allocated for health is Rs 121.80 billion which is 11.66 percent of total expenditures of the government.  He said that the growth rate of Punjab will be increased to eight percent during next four years and in result of it, more than 70 lakh people will be able to live above the poverty line whereas job opportunities will also be available to 40 lakh people.
He said that 36 percent of development budget has been allocated for south Punjab so that maximum development projects could be completed in the less developed districts which include: family welfare centres, 110 mobile service units, 118 family health clinics and 1456 social mobilizers for the guidance and service delivery to the people regarding population welfare initiatives.
He said that increasing population affects our socio-economic conditions also as 40 million people are living low poverty line, 58 million people have no access to safe and clean drinking water, 59 million people are living in one room house unit, whereas, only 20 percent population have the facility of trained birth attendant.
He maintained that increasing population is deeply decreasing our food stocks and now about 70.7 million people are facing lack of food and starvation in the world, whereas, every 6th person in developing country is the victim of lack of food.
Mujtaba said that likewise 53 mini hospitals at Tehsil level are also going to be established to provide vasectomy services. He said that population welfare programmes aim at improving mother and child’s health as well as reducing population growth rate from 1.92% to 1.59 %.
Likewise, non-programme outlets including active participation of NGOs, ulema, media-men and other community leaders has been ensured to realize the benefits of small family  to the people at large.
However, he asked the public representatives and ulema to come forward and to create awareness among general public against the menace of fatal diseases and brief the people regarding proactive measures of critical diseases as well as protective vaccination of childhood diseases in their sermons and in their individuals communication, he added.