KARACHI: Under the Sindh Social Protection Program, the government has decided to provide a monthly stipend of Rs 3,000 to children from birth to five years of age, with a primary focus on rural areas, ARY News reported.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, presiding over the 3rd Board meeting of the Sindh Social Protection Authority (SSPA), approved a series of major initiatives aimed at expanding the province’s social safety net, improving maternal and child welfare, and providing income support to vulnerable rural women.
The meeting approved a new Early Childhood Development (ECD) programme for 885,000 children, seasonal cash support for women agricultural workers, and major improvements to the Mamta maternal health cash transfer programme under the Strengthening Social Protection Delivery System in Sindh (SSPDSS).
The board reviewed the progress of the Mamta project, which is currently operational in 22 districts and has a budget of Rs 56 billion, benefiting more than one million registered beneficiaries.
To improve predictability and ease financial pressure on poor households, the board approved a Hybrid Predictable Payment Model (PPM) under which mothers will receive cash disbursements on a fixed schedule, even if a health visit is slightly delayed.
In a further pro-poor measure, the board approved full cash payments for a mother’s pregnancy or her youngest child, along with 75 per cent of the conditional cash transfer amount for an older child under two years, ensuring that no vulnerable child is excluded from support.
The chief minister also approved two new interventions designed to break the cycle of poverty and strengthen long-term human development.
The Rs14 billion ECD project, funded by KfW, will support children aged 0 to 5 years, with eligible caregivers receiving Rs3,000 every quarter for growth monitoring, nutrition counselling and school readiness.
The board also approved a Women Agricultural Workers Programme to provide monthly cash transfers to rural women during lean periods for two to four months a year.
The initiative aims to help women workers cope with seasonal income loss, reduce debt, and improve food security in farming households.
To extend the reach of the Mamta programme, the board approved a feasibility study in collaboration with the Gates Foundation for expansion into underserved urban union councils and high-risk areas of Karachi and Hyderabad.
The board also ratified an addendum to include health facilities managed by the Health Department in seven newly selected expansion districts, with DHQ and THQ hospitals serving as central Mamta desks.
For better governance and oversight, the board authorised the formation of specialised committees on audit, human resources, legal affairs and research, and also approved a budget of Rs2.29 billion for the financial year 2026–27.
Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said the provincial government was committed to building a more reliable and predictable system of support for Sindh’s poorest families.
“Our goal is to create a predictable and reliable safety net that empowers the most vulnerable women and children of Sindh,” he said. “By integrating health, nutrition and financial stability, we are investing in the future of our province.”
The CM said that social protection was not only a welfare obligation but also a long-term investment in human capital. “Protecting mothers, supporting young children and assisting rural women during difficult seasons means strengthening families and building a healthier, more resilient Sindh,” the chief minister said.