Asian Development Bank (ADB) has decided to approve $603 million to strengthen and expand social support programmes in Pakistan. It will support implementing the Ehsaas programme, Pakistan’s national social protection and poverty reduction strategy. Social protection programs are a powerful tool for alleviating poverty. They include conditional and unconditional cash transfers, food rations, public works programs and school feeding. The Government’s vision for social protection is to develop an integrated and comprehensive platform focused on the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable ones
Pakistan has made substantial progress in introducing social protection programmes including, the food subsidy package, Kamyaab Pakistan, Sehat Sahulat card. These programmes aim to strengthen the national social safety net systems for the poor to enhance their human capital and access to complementary services. These projects have proved remarkable progress in poverty reduction during the pandemic. Furthermore, Pakistan is opening numerous opportunities to strengthen its social protection programme further to alleviate poverty.
ADB is aligned with Pakistan’s development vision which focuses on three priorities, improving economic management, building resilience, and boosting competitiveness and private sector development. Pakistan was a founding member of ADB in 1966. The development bank had since committed over $36.31 billion to promote inclusive economic growth and improve the country’s infrastructure, energy and food security, transport networks, and social services.
Leave a Reply