KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has said that Pakistan Peoples Party(PPP) led coalition Government in Sindh took various poverty reduction measures including provision of jobs to 165,000 people during last five years.

This he said here on Monday while briefing about the five-year performance of Sindh Government during the Sindh Assembly session.

He said that the government provided technical training and stipends to two lac youths in different fields under Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Youth Development Programme (BBSYDP).

The Chief Minister said that the government's Union Council-based poverty reduction programme has mobilised over 100,000 poor women in some of the poorest districts such as Jacobabad, Shikarpur, Kashmore and Thar.

Over 100,000 women were given interest free micro credit under this programme.

He said that thousands of low cost houses were constructed under Behan Benazir Basti Housing Scheme and those were given to poor people of the province. Over 7000 houses were also given to flood affected people, he added.

He said that the government established a separate Department for minorities through which more than Rs 600 million have been given for multiple grants for the poor segments of minorities. Additionally, Rs 930 million have been provided for special development of places of worship and other schemes.

More than 7 million people were dislocated due to floods in 2010 and 9.2 million people were affected in unprecedented rainfall in 2011, he said that the provincial government provided Rs 41 million on account of Relief, and Watan/Pakistan Cards during 2010 and 2011 disasters.

This is the first time in the history of the country where the people affected by calamities have been given cash grants on such a huge scale in a transparent manner, Sindh Chief Minister said.