KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has welcomed the European Union grant of Rs8 billion announced as a support fund for the implementation of its five-year poverty reduction programme, `Sindh Union Council and Community Economic Strengthening Support`, which is one-third of its total cost of Rs24 billion.

He also invited the EU to avail themselves of the opportunities of investment available in other sectors, including energy and agriculture, which would pave the way for opening new opportunities of bilateralrelations in trade and business.

The chief minister expressed these view at a meeting with a delegation led by EU ambassador LarsGunnar Wigemark who called on him at the CM House on Tuesday.

Referring to poverty in the province, Mr Shah said that the people of Sindh had been ignored during the military rule in country that led to an increase in poverty and unemployment.After the restoration of democracy, the people who had been deprived of basic amenities had many expectations from the civilian government. It was for this reason that the PPP government conceived a five-year poverty alleviation programme with an estimated cost of Rs24 billion, the chief minister explained.

It would be implemented at the union council level, he added.

Mr Shah said that another poverty reduction programme was already under implementation through the Sindh Rural Support Organisation.

Work on the union council-based project had been initiated from the northern parts of Sindh, he said, adding that priority was given to women`s empowerment in the project.

He said that his government had allocated Rs1.3 billion for this financial year as compared to Rs400 million last year for its implementation.

To implement the programme with the collaboration of local nongovernmental organisations as well as the Sindh Rural Support Programme, the EU would take upseven districts Sujawal, Tando Mohammad Khan, Mitiari, Tando Allayar, Dadu, Larkana and Qambar Shahdadkot comprising 194 union councils, the meeting was informed.

The Sindh government would implement the project in 13 other districts comprising 414 union councils, it was said. The districts were Badin, Mirpurkhas, Tharparkar, Thatta, Khairpur Mirs, Umerkot, Sanghar, Naushahro Feroze, Hyderabad, Jamshoro, Shaheed Benazirabad, Sukkur, Ghotki and 10 rural union councils of Karachi.

However, the chief minister directed the ofHcers concerned to add Tharparl(ar and Khairpur Mirs districts to the list of districts where the European Union would implement the programme as both the districts needed attention.

The meeting was informed that under the programme, the local population would be supported to increase their income, a framework would be developed for community institution capable of building capacity of the underprivileged and enabling them to come out of the vicious circle of poverty.