Sindh government has approved Provincial Women Agriculture Act 2019 to empower rural women of the province, said provincial minister for information & archives and labour Saeed Ghani here on Saturday. Addressing post cabinet meeting press conference this evening, he said the Act encompasses all those affiliated with cultivation, fisheries, poultry, and husbandry.
“These women would be considered as agriculture workers,” he said mentioning that they would also be permitted to seek help from the endowment fund of Benazir Income Support Program. Saeed Ghani said that the cabinet meeting chaired by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah also discussed the formation of Benazir Women Support Organization.
Citing the cabinet decision to be historic he said the Sindh Chief Minister on the very onset of the meeting said Sindh Women Agriculture Act was in accordance with the vision of Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party. This was said to be also in accordance to basic philosophy of PPP founding leaders who believed in emancipation of masses and empowerment of all marginalized sections, with women on top of the list.
Mentioning that the Act was passed to provide social security to the women workers, the Sindh Information Minister said the Chief Minister was of the view that although role of women workers was not being recognized appropriately but the fact of the matter was that the rural women were central to agro-based economy.
Saeed Ghani said that this Act would certainly bring a positive change in the lives of the women of rural areas.
The Minister said the Act would be presented before the provincial assembly within a week of this cabinet meeting.
“After the passage of this act the rights of the women associated with agriculture and related sectors would be guarded,” he said. Saeed Ghani further mentioned that to simplify the process of purchasing essential medicines for the health facilities in the province the cabinet in its meeting formed a committee comprising Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Excise & Taxation Mukesh Kumar Chawla, Minister for Agriculture Department Muhammad Ismail Rahu, Adviser to Sindh Chief Minister on Climate Change, Coastal Development, Environment and Law Barrister Murtaza Wahab.
He said that all the medicines available with the health department would be provided immediately to the health facilities across the province.
The Minister said that the cabinet also decided to confer the charge of the executive director of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Trauma Centre to a grade 20 Medical Officer.
He said that according to a decision taken by the cabinet the management board of the teaching hospital would function under vice chancellor of the concerned medical university.
Saeed Ghani said that from now onwards the vice chancellor would preside over the meeting of the board of the teaching hospitals.—APP
