The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved an assistance of $200 million for 'Punjab Devolved Social Services Program (DSSP)'. The project is to be financed through loan of $75 million from ADB's Ordinary Capital Resources (OCR) and $75 million from its concessional Asian Development Fund (ADF).
Apart from ADB loan, British government will provide $50 million through the Department for International Development (DFID) of which $30 million is grant and $20 million technical assistance (TA).
Planning and Development Department of Punjab is the executing agency of program which is due to be completed by March 2008.
The program aims to expand the coverage of health services, especially for women and children, increase school enrolment rates, and improve water supply and sanitation services. It will also support critical reforms, institutional strengthening, capacity building, and partnership building in Punjab's social services.
Marshuk Ali Shah, ADB Country Director for Pakistan, said that "the project will provide better access to health facilities for poor, rural populations, women and children and create educational facilities for handicapped children and for girls in less affluent districts. Water supply and sanitation schemes will mostly benefit small villages and neighbourhoods".
According to the bank, currently Punjab's social indicators-among the worst in the region-fall far short of its economic development, which was reflected in low literacy rates, high infant, child and maternal mortality rates, susceptibility to communicable diseases, inadequate sanitation and water facilities and huge disparity in income and gender groups.
An ADB social sector specialist, Brajesh Path, said, "Making special provision for protecting poor and vulnerable groups, the program will help Punjab achieve progress on the Millennium Development Goals related to poverty, gender, education, health and water supply and sanitation."
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