Jang Economic Session: Practical steps stressed to control inflation, unemployment

LAHORE: The rulers are urged to take practical steps to ensure good governance and control inflation, unemployment and alleviate poverty instead of giving statements. Reducing taxes and electricity tariff can help the government to achieve the targets.

These views were expressed by discussants at Jang Economic Session on ‘how to control poverty, inflation and unemployment’. The panellists were Dr Farha Naqvi, Dr Fatima Zuhra Zaidi, Mian Fazal Ahmed and Naseem Iqbal while the session was moderated by Sikindar Lodhi.

Dr Farha Naqvi stressed the need for effective measures to control inflation, poverty and unemployment and steps should be taken for improving the governance. She suggested vocational training to achieve these targets as unemployment ratio increased to 5.7 per cent which adversely affected every segment of society. She believed effective policy and its implementation could resolve issues.

Dr Fatima Zuhra Zaidi said the youth are unable to get job even after getting professional education, which is a tragedy. She suggested that the government should provide opportunities of career counselling and training to the youth for growth and uplift. She said opportunities for choice of right field will increase employment opportunities.

Mian Fazal Ahmed said unemployment figures increased to 4.4 per cent and a comprehensive planning is required to control growing unemployment. He said unemployment has increased due to lack of government interest in controlling it while inflation is also growing due to the same reason. He said unemployment and inflation reached horrible level of the history and urgent steps were required to bring it down. He said public issues would not be addressed by provision of loans rater reducing the cost of the production was needed.

Naseem Iqbal said inflation was increasing and a family of five people required minimum Rs 60,000 per month for their budget. He urged the government for reducing the ever increasing gap between the rich and poor to control poverty. The government should provide free health and education to people. He suggested for controlling population growth to manage available resources.