ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday said that the government did not want to limit poverty alleviation to the financial assistance alone, but wanted a durable solution of this issue by reforming various sectors and creating job opportunities in the country.
He called for utilising the local government system at the lower tier so as to reach the needy and avoid the wastage of spending.
The prime minister was chairing a meeting about poverty alleviation and related reforms, during which he was given a detailed briefing on poverty alleviation, related measures and reforms besides deliberations on a comprehensive and coordinated strategy.
The meeting was attended by Finance Minister Asad Umar, Minister for Planning Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, Adviser on Establishment Muhammad Shehzad Arbab, Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) Chairperson Dr Sania Nishtar, Baitul Mall MD Aon Abbas Buppi, National Rural Support Programme (NRSP) CEO Dr Rasheed Bajwa, Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) CEO Qazi Azmat Isa, Pakistan Micro Investment Company CEO Yasir Ashfaq and other officials.
The prime minister said that the most important issue in the health sector was stunted growth, which would deprive the children of equal opportunities of development and there was a need to take immediate steps in this respect.
He also urged the need for enhanced coordination among various sectors, including health, education, food, environment and others to check stunted growth.
The meeting was briefed about the promotion of technical education, enhancing job opportunities, the outreach of financial assistance, low-cost housing, social security and Sehat Insaf Card.
The meeting was briefed that with Balochistan and recently-merged Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) were most affected with stunted growth which was causing an annual loss of 3 per cent to the country’s economy in terms of GDP (Gross Domestic Product).