Sindh govt announces allowance for child support

LAHORE: Under the Social Protection Program, it has been decided to provide Rs 3,000 quarterly to children from birth to 5 years. According to details, the third meeting of the board of the Sindh Social Protection Authority was held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, in which important decisions were taken to further expand the scope of social protection in the province.

The meeting approved new cash assistance for 885,000 children and rural women, while a major project of Rs 14 billion was also approved for early childhood development.

Under this program, it has been decided to provide Rs 3,000 quarterly to children from birth to 5 years. The Chief Minister of Sindh said that regular monitoring of child development, nutritional guidance and educational readiness will be ensured, while rural women will be provided monthly financial assistance during the non-productive period.

It was informed in the meeting that the purpose of the stabilization fund is to protect rural women from the burden of debt and food insecurity.

According to the briefing, the Mamata program has been activated in 22 districts, benefiting more than 1 million people, while various social security programs are underway with a budget of Rs 56 billion.

The board also approved a new hybrid payment model to ensure timely payment to mothers, while full and partial payments were approved for pregnancy and young children.

The meeting also decided to expand the program to backward areas of Karachi and Hyderabad, include 7 more districts in the Mamata program, and establish “Mamata Desks” in district and taluka headquarters hospitals.

Furthermore, approval was given to establish audit, human rights, legal and investigation committees to ensure transparency, while a budget of Rs 2.29 billion was also approved for the financial year 2026-27.

The Sindh Chief Minister said that empowering vulnerable women and children is the priority of the government and investing in the future of the province by combining health, nutrition and financial stability.