KARACHI - Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Syed Murad Ali Shah presiding over the first meeting of the Sindh Social Protection Board approved the feasibility studies of the Food Security - Bhook Mitao and the Benazir Women Agriculture Workers Support programmes.
These programmes are aimed at benefitting the marginalised population and will be launched once the feasibility studies are successfully conducted. The meeting was attended by the board members, including Minister Health Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, Minister Education Syed Sardar Shah, Minister Labour Shahid Thahim, PSCM Agha Wasif, Chairman P&D Najam Shah, Secretary Finance Fayaz Jatoi, Secretary Social Protection Rafiq Mustafa, Haris Gazdar, CEO Social Protection Unit Samiullah Shaikh, Sono Khanghrani, Prof Amar Sindhu, Ms Shabnam Baloch, Asama Bloch and others.
Secretary Social Protection Department Rafiq Mustafa and CEO of the Social Protection Unit Samiullah Shaikh briefed the board members about the Bhook Mitao programme and the Benazir Women Agriculture Workers Support programme.
BHOOK MITAO
The book “Mitao Food Security” is aimed at establishing a combination of instruments and scientific methods for studying food security. It aims to identify vulnerable groups and propose feasible designs and implementations for addressing food security issues and minimising vulnerability to hunger in marginalised populations.
During the meeting, the board members discussed the programme and approved the feasibility study on the “Bhook Mitao” programme. They have allocated a budget of Rs30 million for the feasibility study and other allied works.
BENAZIR WOMEN AGRICULTURE WORKERS SUPPORT PROGRAMME
The Sindh government aims to provide social protection to women working in agriculture through the Benazir Women Agriculture Support programme. This will be done through a Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programme, provided they register with the Labour Department and visit health facilities for medical check-ups during and after pregnancy. To assess the feasibility of the programme and how it should be implemented, the Social Protection Strategy Unit (SPSU) plans to conduct a study. The board has approved Rs30 million for the feasibility study, and the Social Protection Department has already started the process of hiring firms through a competitive process. The chief minister was informed that the department has hired the firms through a competitive process.
Strengthen Sindh Social Protection Service Delivery Systems
The board members were also briefed about the Strengthening of the Sindh Social Protection Service Delivery System programme. Under the programme, the Mother and Child Support programme has been launched with the support of the World Bank for $28.15 million. The programme has been initiated in 15 predominantly rural districts prioritising those with the highest Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI).
The CM was told that there were 1.3 million who were being given Rs30,000 cash support in 1,000 days. 772 health facilities would also provide medical facilities to Mothers and Child Support.
The board was informed that the targeted 1.31 beneficiaries (pregnant women) were being given Rs30,000 cash for 1,000 days. So far Rs313.2 million have been disbursed among 152,349 registered beneficiaries.
