Sindh to Give Rs. 3,000 Quarterly Support for Young Children

The Sindh government has approved a Rs. 14 billion Early Childhood Development (ECD) program under which caregivers of children up to five years of age will receive Rs. 3,000 every quarter.

The decision was taken during the third board meeting of the Sindh Social Protection Authority (SSPA), chaired by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday. Under the program, financial assistance will be provided for child growth monitoring, nutrition counselling and school readiness support.

Officials said the initiative, funded by German development bank KfW, will benefit around 885,000 children aged between one month and five years across Sindh. The program is aimed at improving child nutrition, reducing poverty and supporting long-term human development in the province.

During the meeting, the board also approved reforms to the Mamta maternal health cash transfer program, which is currently operating in 22 districts with a budget of Rs. 56 billion and more than one million registered beneficiaries.

Authorities said a new Hybrid Predictable Payment Model has also been introduced to ensure scheduled cash payments even if health visits are slightly delayed. Under the revised policy, mothers will receive full payments for pregnancy or for their youngest child, along with 75 percent of the conditional cash transfer for an older child under the age of two.