MULTAN: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and South Punjab Secretariat on Monday launched two landmark reports detailing existing socio-economic situation and development requirements of South Punjab providing a foundation for data-driven and evidence based policies and plans for area’s regional development, and driving an initial Rs 400 million investment to achieve development goals.
A Rs 400 million plan has been drawn up to achieve the goals of sustainable development, poverty alleviation, increase in literacy rate and clean drinking water supply in south Punjab and goals have been set in collaboration with south Punjab secretariat and UNDP, says Additional chief secretary south Punjab Captain (retired) Saqib Zafar after he along with UNDP Pakistan Mission Resident Representative Mr. Knut Ostby launched the reports at the local circuit house. District SDGs Profiles and South Punjab SDGs Indicators Reports were finalized under a flagship initiative of UNDP Pakistan’s Punjab SDGs Unit, and developed in collaboration with the Planning & Development Department, South Punjab, says a release issued by UNDP. The South Punjab SDGs Indicators Report is the first report of its kind providing a regional focus that will help formulate data-driven and evidence-based policies and plans for South Punjab’s regional development.
The District SDGs Profiles Report is also an important step in localizing the SDGs Agenda 2030 at the district level. These comprehensive yet concise District SDGs Profiles will serve as an important policy guidance tool for district administrations to achieve SDGs within their respective districts. “UNDP Pakistan, through its Punjab SDGs Unit values the strategic partnership it has developed with the South Punjab Secretariat. Given the long-standing regional disparities and high rates of poverty, we are committed to the regional development of South Punjab through evidence-based policymaking and technical support,” said Mr. Knut Ostby, Resident Representative, UNDP Pakistan.
The launch event provided an opportunity for the leadership to discuss the social, economic, and environmental development challenges of the area, underscoring the role of South Punjab development as a strategic priority for the effective implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the region. The participants also deliberated on existing development priorities, ongoing interventions, and future collaborations between UNDP and the South Punjab Secretariat to reduce long-standing regional disparities and develop an equitable model of development as part of the Leave No One Behind approach of SDGs. South Punjab top bureaucrat, Captain ® Saqib Zafar said, the report of District SDGs was a policy document and its implementation will provide opportunity for equitable human development.
He said that eradication of poverty was a challenge and added that Muzaffargarh and Rajanpur districts had the highest poverty rate in the province. Saqib Zafar said that Punjab government would allocate huge funds for south Punjab development in the next fiscal budget. Knut Otsby said, reduction in poverty and raising living standards was a global agenda adding that UNDP aspire to achieve the goal by 2030 in south Punjab.
Other notable participants included Ms. Ammara Durrani, Assistant Resident Representative, Development Policy Unit, UNDP Pakistan; Mr. Shoeb Iqbal Syed, Secretary P&D South Punjab; Mr. Umer Akhlaq Malik, Policy Analyst, Development Policy Unit, UNDP Pakistan; Mr. Muhammad Rashid, Assistant Chief Policy & Reform; and Ms. Maheen Rashid, OIC/Economic Policy Analyst, Punjab SDGs Unit. South Punjab’s comprehensive regional development is central to the work of UNDP Pakistan’s Punjab SDGs Unit, which has been closely collaborating with South Punjab’s Secretariat to gauge the need for evidence and analysis for South Punjab’s decision-making process.
Other significant ongoing initiatives of the Punjab SDGs Unit include socio-economic baseline profiling of South Punjab; formulation of district SDGs localization plans for Multan, Bahawalpur, and Rahim Yar Khan; impact assessment of the Violence against Women Center Multan; and policy support to P&D department, aimed to ensure inclusive and equitable development in South Punjab, to LeaveNo One Behind.