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Friday, March 15, 2013
PPPP manifesto pledges to fulfil basic needs of poor* Pledges to increase minimum wage to Rs 18,000 by 2018
ISLAMABAD: PPP-Parliamentarians on Thursday announced its election manifesto with special focus on a seven-point agenda pledging to fulfil basic needs of the poor.
The manifesto was released by the party president, Makhdoom Amin Fahim, at a press conference. Former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira, Defence MinisterNaveed Qamar and Minister of State for Information Syed Sumsam Bukhari were also present on the occasion. The manifesto pledges to increase minimum wage to Rs 18,000 per month by 2018 and enhance monthly cash grant under the Benazir Income Support Programme from Rs 1000 to Rs 2000.
The manifesto also promises to create a new province in south Punjab. It further pledges that under the new NFC Award, Sindh will get special grant for Karachi. A mother and child-care programme would also be launched to ensure health-care for them through vouchers and cash transfers. It promises to provide more security to health workers.
As per constitutional requirements, the manifesto promises universal primary enrolment by 2018 and 10,000 higher education and technical vocation scholarships for FATA and Balochistan. Labour representatives will get four seats in the National Assembly and two in each provincial assembly through legislation. There will be renewed focus on housing, and the poor will be given priority for low-cost housing schemes to be launched through public-private partnership. The party proposes to launch a youth employment initiative called ‘Peoples Employment Programme’. Farmers will be supported by being charged flat rate for electricity for tube wells. The manifesto also pledges addition of 12,000MW of cheaper electricity by way of hydel, coal, gas and renewable energy sources. app
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk