MULTAN:United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and south Punjab bureaucrats opened a two-day dialogue process here Wednesday to discuss financial and technical support to improve municipal services, other public facilitation systems and infrastructural uplift in south Punjab.
Dozens of envoys from different countries, and representatives from different UN bodies, international donors and development partners were part of the dialogue process began today and they would also visit different cities of south Punjab to assess the level of development, difficulties in execution of ongoing initiatives and the development needs, according to an official release issued here.
South Korean envoys Suh Sangpyo, and Sungmin Kim, USAID representative Michael Nehrbass, World Food Programme representative Rithi, Commonwealth representative Sana Zia, representative from UN office for Drugs and Crime Jeremy Milsom, UN project services representative Marysia Zapansik, and UNRCO Pakistan representative Shah Nasir Khan and others were part of the delegation.
The delegation received a detailed briefing at the local circuit house from secretary agriculture south Punjab Saqib Ali Ateel, secretary local government Amir Aqeeq Khan, deputy commissioner Amir Kareem Khan and team leader sub national programme Ahmad Rajwana.
Amir Aqeeq Khan informed the delegates about the problem of paucity of resources local government department was facing but added they were trying hard to improve revenue through tax collection. He said that waste management companies were modernizing cleanliness operations and municipal limits were being expanded to to facilitate a larger population. He said that improvement in sewerage system required huge funding.
DC Amir Kareem Khan briefed delegates on capacity building, budget planning, and revenue generation and added that sub national governance programme helped local bodies in budget making and financial management.
Amir Kareem Khan said that local government was facing problems in meeting the requirements of rising population due to lack of resources. He said that according to Census 2017, the population of Multan district was 4.7 million with a literacy rate of 70 per cent.
Delegates sought different queries regarding working of local government and service delivery.
Later, the delegation visited Lodhran district where they reviewed development initiatives meant for uplifting facilities in health and education sectors.
European Union (EU) representative Ms. Androulla Kaminara, Mr. Najy benhassine, representative from Germany Ms Marion Pfennings, FAO representative Florence Role, UNDP representative Umair Malik and UNOPS representative Ms Jacquiline, and secretary education Dr. Ehtasham Anwar were present.