CHAIRMAN P&D BOARD MEETS IFAD DELEGATES

Friday, August 19, 2022

The IFAD delegation comprising three members Ms Rehana Raza, newly appointed Regional Director, Asia & Pacific Region, Mr Hubert Boirard, Country Director for Pakistan and Mr Liam, Sr. Portfolio Adviser met Chairman Planning & Development Board Mr Abdullah Khan Sumbal at P&D Complex, Lahore.
During the meeting, the Chair discussed the recent visit of IFAD delegates in Southern Punjab Poverty Alleviation Project (SPPAP) at district Bhakkar and Layyah. He also stated that the project has resounding success with effective results. SPPAP is a well moving flagship project of P&D Board. The project has reached out about 271556 poor households under all interventions. It is highly gender sensitive project and inclusion of poor women ensured by specifying women as either sole beneficiaries of an intervention or by specifying quotas for them. Overall, 75% beneficiaries are poor women.
Mr Hubert Boirad also lauded the Government of Punjab’s decision to replicate the interventions under SPPAP through the Punjab Poverty Alleviation Initiative (PPGI) covering additional 10 poorest districts in the province.
The Secretary Planning & Development Board Mr Sohail Anwar also briefed the Chair about receiving total funds amounting to US $ 84.722 (83%) from IFAD. The progress of key interventions include the provision of small ruminants (2 goat package) to 102,047 beneficiaries, provision of 4983 small land plots and construction of 4931 low-cost houses, vocational & enterprise trainings provided to 34862 & 9081 beneficiaries respectively, Food bank facility provided to 11667 poor families on revolving basis, Productivity Enhancement Initiative packages provided to 10057 small holder farmers and Modern Agriculture Equipment’s provided to 822 Community Service Providers. The meeting was also attended by senior officials of P&D Board.