UNDP and Govt of Punjab joined hands to prevent lapse of funds in south Punjab through improvisation of planning and development.

Multan, May 31, 2023: UNDP and Govt of Punjab joined hands to prevent lapse of funds in south Punjab through improvisation of planning and development. Better planning will bring prosperity in flood hit areas of south Punjab, productivity in livestock area and agricultural self-reliance for Pakistan says ammara durrani, UNDP Pakistan Assistant Resident Representative. UNDP and South Punjab Secretariat created the South Punjab Regional Development Forum for equitable development in Punjab in this venture to put all stake holders on board from agriculture, business, climate, human resource capacity building and planning and development forums.
Aligned with the commitment to augment the existing regional equalization work of the Government of the Punjab, UNDP Pakistan, in partnership with the Planning and Development Board, Punjab, and South Punjab Secretariat, organized a South Punjab Regional Development Forum to promote sustainable development equitably across Punjab. It will also help in formulation of next 5 years plan for the developmental projects and individual betterment in south Punjab says additional chief secretary south Punjab saqib zafar.

Chaired by the Additional Chief Secretary South Punjab, Capt. (R) Saqib Zafar, the Forum engaged government officials, policymakers, industry leaders, CSOs, development partners, UN agencies, and academia for dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and cross-sectoral collaboration to inform the South Punjab Regional Plan for Sustainable Development.

Guided by the development vision of the Government of Punjab, UNDP, in collaboration with the South Punjab Secretariat, is developing this Plan to provide a strategic vision to policymakers, and inform development planning and public sector investments to improve social, economic, and environmental development across the region.

Speaking on the occasion, Additional Chief Secretary South Punjab, Capt. (R) Saqib Zafar, said, “Given the socioeconomic and environmental development challenges prevalent in the region, the strategic partnership between UNDP and South Punjab Secretariat is critical for South Punjab’s regional development and accomplishing Agenda 2030 across Punjab. I am glad to see such timely and strategic action on UNDP’s commitments made during last year’s High-Level Deep Dive in South Punjab by developing a comprehensive Regional Plan for South Punjab. This Regional Plan is a critical document that aims to transform the region and accelerate its development. Through this Forum today, we aim to enable knowledge-sharing and develop a long-term regional coalition committed to equitable and inclusive growth in South Punjab.”

Other notable participants at the Forum included Dr. M. Aman Ullah, Joint Chief Economist, Planning & Development Board, Punjab; Mr. Raja Sagheer, Project Director, South Punjab Poverty Alleviation Project; Mr. Saqib Ali Ateel, Secretary Agriculture, South Punjab; Mr. Rana Saleem Ahmed Khan, Secretary School Education; Mr. Muhammad Altaf Baloch, Secretary Higher Education; Mr. Rashid Iqbal, President Chamber of Commerce & Industries, Multan; Ms. Ammara Durrani, Assistant Resident Representative, and Chief, Development Policy Unit, UNDP Pakistan; and Mr. Umer Akhlaq Malik, Policy Analyst, Development Policy Unit, UNDP Pakistan.

Poverty incidence in Punjab not only features considerable disparities between urban and rural areas, but it also indicates the incidence of extreme poverty in the Southern Districts of Punjab. The districts in South Punjab with the highest proportion of multi-dimensional poverty include Muzaffargarh, Rajanpur, D.G. Khan, Rahim Yar Khan, and Bahawalpur The performance of social indicators in the southern region of Punjab shows no significant improvement in education, health, and standards of living in comparison to districts in North and Central Punjab. Furthermore, COVID-19 and the devastating 2022 floods have further exacerbated the pre-existing disparities in South Punjab. Considering this, the Government of Punjab has prioritized the inclusive development of South Punjab, focusing on regional equalization.
“The South Punjab Regional Development Plan is grounded in principles of equitable growth and non-discrimination, and it reflects UNDP and the Government of Punjab’s pledge to break the cycles of disadvantage and inequity that threaten to leave people irrevocably behind. The insights and recommendations received today will enable us to enrich the analysis conducted so far and help us develop a comprehensive policy plan for targeted resource allocation for sustainable development in the region,” said Ms. Ammara Durrani, Assistant Resident Representative, and Chief, Development Policy Unit, UNDP Pakistan.
Additional Chief Secretary South Punjab Saqib Zafar, while addressing the said increasing the capacity of the National Building Departments of South Punjab to spend funds in financial year is the need of the hour and the South Punjab Secretariat is paying full attention for the capacity building of the institutions.