Multan, February 7, 2022: In a partnership of fifty-fifty, United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Govt. of Punjab will jointly spend 400 million rupees to attain 17 Sustainable Development Goals in South Punjab in order to ensure equity in Punjab and to reduce the regional inequalities. In this regard, Planning and Development Department of South Punjab and UNDP have launched a report here at Multan on Monday. Additional Chief Secretary South Punjab Capt. R Saqib Zafar and UNDP Pakistan Country Head Mr. Knut Ostby attended the launching session. Launching session was also attended by the Administrative Secretaries of South Punjab and representatives of UNDP.
Talking on the occssaion, Mr. Knut Ostby, Resident Representative, UNDP Pakistan said that UNDP is providing technical support and strategic partnership to South Punjab to reduce regional inequalities. He said that UNDP and Punjab Govt. were working together for effective localization of Sustainable Development Goals to leave no one behind. He more said that the Punjab SDGs Unit, in collaboration with the P&D Department Punjab, has computed over 40 indicators to fill data gaps with a regional focus on South Punjab. District SDGs profiles will provide a snapshot of the performance of each district to ensure evidence-based policymaking and sustainable development in South Punjab, he added.
Additional Chief Secretary South Punjab, Capt. (R) Saqib Zafar said, “The Govt of Punjab has always cherished the friendship with UNDP for SDGs mainstreaming and localization in the province. This strategic partnership between UNDP and South Punjab Secretariat is critical for South Punjab regional development and accomplishing Agenda 2030 across Punjab. The two reports on District SDGs profiles and South Punjab SDGs indicators are the beginning of a new regime in South Punjab with evidence-based policymaking and informed development interventions.”
Secretary Planning and Development Shoaib Syed while briefing on the occasion said that 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 and will serve as an important policy guidance tool for district administrations to achieve SDGs within their respective districts, he added.
In the launch event, Administrative leadership of South Punjab discussed 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.