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Benazir chairs

SSCC meeting

ISLAMABAD: A meeting of the Social Sector Coordination Committee (SSCC) was held here on Tuesday with Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in the chair. Governor of NWFP, Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, chief ministers of all the provinces, relevant federal ministers and concerned secretaries also attended the meeting.

The meeting considered a report on the implementation of the Social Action Programme (SAP) and noted with satisfaction that its first phase had been able to meet most of its targets, thus effecting improvement in the country's social indicators.

The meeting was informed that upto January this year, 20861 new primary schools had been opened under SAP and 10821 buildings were constructed to house shelterless schools. About 300 basic health units were established and 77000 lady health workers recruited and trained to provide medical cover. About 15 million children have been immunised against various diseases. In rural water supply, 53.2 percent and in the sanitation 20.1 percent of the population has been covered upto January 1996.

The Committee also considered a report prepared for submission to the Pakistan Consortium for launching the 2nd phase of SAP. It felt that while education should continue to receive priority, greater emphasis should be laid on consolidating, the impact of measures already taken. It directed that closer coordination and frequent consultations with the provinces be maintained to determine their priorities in the 2nd phase of the programme.

The meeting also emphasised the need tomobilise the people for more active participation in schemes to improve the social sector.-APP