Daily Times

The Planning and Development Board (P&D Board) arranged a review meeting on Wednesday on the 2nd Tripartite Portfolio Review Meeting 2022 with the Asian Development Bank (ADB). P&D Chairman Abdullah Khan Sumbal and ADB Deputy Country Director Asad Aleem jointly chaired the review meeting here. As a keynote speaker, the P&D Board chairman emphasised the new development paradigm and aligning the development process with the progress of Punjab. He said that the main focus of the incumbent government was on the social sector, public private partnership and economic growth in industrial and agricultural sectors. The ongoing projects, in collaboration with the ADB, would be delivered in the due time-frame in Punjab, he added. The project directors briefed the chair about the progress on different projects, funded by the ADB across Punjab. The chair was also briefed about analysis and assessment of physical damages and indirect losses inflicted by floods in the province. The effects of floods on important sectors of Punjab including health, education and agriculture were also discussed. The ADB deputy country director reviewed the progress on ADB projects by the provincial government and highlighted the key points of Bank strategy, which was aligned with the government’s development policy. He pinpointed main initiatives, especially public-private partnerships, where the ADB and Punjab government were working together and hoped that the upcoming projects would improve the lives of He expressed his concerns about the current monsoon floods that had caused widespread destruction in the country. He stated the ADB was currently assessing the situation and collecting information to assist the Government of Pakistan for immediate relief and post-disaster reconstruction efforts. The session also explored key areas of collaboration on poverty reduction, infrastructural development, private sector development, environment and climate change, and regional cooperation and integration. Secretary P&D Board Sohail Anwar, all members of P&D Board and senior officials of Asian Development Bank also attended the meeting.