RAJSHAHI, Dec 30, 2020 (BSS)- Depicting the importance of equitable society speakers at a meeting stressed the need for taking concerted efforts of all government and non-government organizations concerned for improving the living and livelihood condition of the less-income and marginalized people.
The present government under the dynamic and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been working relentlessly to this end and all government and non-government entities should supplement the government endeavour whole-heartedly, they said.
The discussants came up with the observation while addressing the coordination meeting between Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) and Brac Urban Development Programme (UDP) at the city bhaban conference hall on Tuesday.
RCC Panel Mayor Shariful Islam Babu addressed the meeting as the chief guest with Secretary Abu Hayat Rahmatullah in the chair.
Panel Mayor Rajab Ali, Ward Councilors Belal Ahmed, Kamal Hossain, Rabiul Islam and Ruhul Amin, Chief Conservancy Officer Sheikh Mamun, Town Planner Bonny Ahsan and Engineer Shariful Islam also spoke.
During concept paper presentation, Farzana Parveen, BRAC’s regional coordinator, said 90,873 people from 24,179 households living in city’s slum areas got scopes of improving their lives and livelihood conditions for UDP taken to reduce their multi-dimensional poverty and deprivation.
Brac has been implementing the project in association with RCC to engage multi-sectorial partners to create employment opportunities for the urban poor people, and improve their overall living and livelihood conditions and realize basic rights.
Parveen said 17,500 youths, including around 13,000 females aged from 15 to 29 are getting necessary knowledge through need-based promotional activities under the project.
Slum dwellers are getting safe drinking water, sanitation, houses and education facilities and their living and livelihood conditions are ultimately improving, she informed.
Another 3,000 youths are being imparted with either three or six-month need-based vocational and technical training, she added.
Panel Mayor Shariful Islam said proper housing for people living in urban poverty has become a prerequisite to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDG-11), and ensure planned urbanization and continued economic progress of the city.
He focused on stronger collaboration between the government and non-government organizations, and involving public representatives and other relevant stakeholders in promoting plans for people living in urban poor areas.