RAJSHAHI, Feb 17, 2019 (BSS)- Collective efforts of all concerned has
become an urgent need to eradicate the urban poverty caused by the adverse
impact of climate change as the climate-induced poverty has been escalating
gradually in the urban areas.
The observation came at an inception meeting of a project titled “Poverty
Reduction through Goat Rearing” at conference hall of Rajshahi City
Corporation (RCC) here on Saturday.
RCC will implement the project with financial support from GIZ under its
‘Urban Management of Internal Migration due to Climate Change (UMIMCC)’
Project which will provide 124 goats to 60 distressed women for rearing aims
at making them self-reliant.
Under this UMIMCC project, short and long term job oriented training and
health care facilities will be provided to the ultra-poor and poor class
people and infrastructure will be built in city areas for providing shelter
of those people.
City Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton addressed the meeting as chief guest
with its Chief Executive Officer Rejaul Karim in the chair. Panel Mayor
Tahera Begum, Ward Councilor Nazrul Islam, Deputy Director of Department of
Social Service Rashedul Kabir, Editor of Daily Sonar Desh Akbarul Hassan
Millat and GIZ Adviser Akteruzzaman Rana also spoke.
Mayor Liton mentioned that the rural poor people with their recurrent
disaster exposures are migrating into urban areas. These new comers face a
high employment crisis in city and with very poor-quality housing and other
well-being further tapping them into a deeper urban poverty cycle.
Climate change is becoming a threat to the urban environment and
development and livelihood as well the uncertainty. The urban poverty is
highly linked with rural disaster risks.
The urbanisation situation, particularly the housing in the city is
getting more acute with every passing year.
Liton mentioned all the vulnerability issues need to be brought under
comprehensive risk based master plan to accommodate at least 30 per cent
people from vulnerable rural areas around.