Finance Ministers from eight member states of the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (Saarc) on Saturday in New Delhi started discussion on mechanism to operationalise the $300 million Saarc Development Fund for socio-economic uplift of the people of the region.
Saarc Development Fund envisages to identify and implement development projects aimed at poverty alleviation, institutional and human resource development, social and infrastructure development in member countries under an agreed mechanism.
Advisor to Prime Minister on Finance & Economic Affairs Dr Salman Shah, who is leading Pakistan delegation at the second meeting of the Saarc Finance Ministers, said that Pakistan desires to have progress in these areas to make Saarc a more vibrant organisation.
He said that he would hold meetings with his counterparts from Saarc states to exchange experiences in socio-economic sectors for betterment of the people. Saarc Finance Ministers at the first meeting in Islamabad in July 2006 had agreed on a roadmap for creating the Saarc Development Fund, and had approved the framework to make the organisation reflective of people''s aspiration.