PDWP approves Rs 7.56 billion for Southern Punjab's poverty alleviation project

The Punjab Provincial Development Working Party approved Rs 7.56 billion for the Southern Punjab Poverty Alleviation Project (SPPAP) assisted by the International Fund for Agricultural Development. The approval was accorded in the PDWP's 23rd meeting of current fiscal year 2017-18 presided over by Chairman P&D Muhammad Jahanzeb Khan on Tuesday. Secretary Iftikhar Ali Sahoo, all Members of the P&D and concerned Secretaries also attended the meeting.
P&D spokesman told Business Recorder that the Punjab Government has initiated Southern Punjab Poverty Alleviation Program (SPPAP) in collaboration with International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The project is being implemented in four most under-developed districts of southern Punjab ie Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Muzaffargarh and Rajanpur. The project objective is to increase income of 80,000 poor households by enhancing employment potential of the people of the area and increasing agricultural productivity and production. The project has three main components:
* Livelihood enhancement through asset transfer, vocational and entrepreneurial training and development of community physical infrastructure,
-- Agricultural and Livestock Development through productivity enhancement initiatives and technology transfer to the farmers and training of service providers'
-- The principal outcomes expected from the project include enhanced capacity for sustainable livelihoods through asset transfers, enhanced capacity for employment and productive self-employment, enhanced access to basic services, increased productivity and production of agriculture produce and strengthened local capacity for agriculture and livestock service provision.
The PDWP also approved Teacher's Training Program at the cost of Rs 584.765 million and Construction of Training Laboratory at Punjab Forensic Science Agency, Lahore at the cost of Rs 1377.155 million.