- Advertisement -
MULTAN, Sep 09 (APP):A delegation led by Scott Whoolery, Deputy Country Representative of UNICEF in Pakistan, met with Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) South Punjab, Fuad Hashim Rabbani, here on Monday.
Secretary Services South Punjab, Amjad Shoaib Khan Tareen was also present in the meeting.
The meeting focused on discussing the ongoing five-year country program of UNICEF, supported by the Punjab Government.
The Additional Chief Secretary commended the UNICEF for its contributions to education, maternal and child healthcare, and clean drinking water provision in flood-affected areas of South Punjab.
He highlighted that poverty and low literacy rates are the main challenges in South Punjab and that the South Punjab Secretariat is implementing a comprehensive policy to address these issues. Following the successful pilot project “Zero Out-of-School Children,” launched by the School Education department South Punjab in partnership with UNICEF and JICA, preparations for the second phase have begun. District Layyah has been selected for this phase, with plans to expand the project’s scope to other districts, he added.
Rabbani noted that most of the labor force and population in South Punjab are involved in agriculture and livestock, emphasizing that developing these sectors is key to poverty eradication.
He mentioned that a policy summary on increasing per-acre yield and conserving irrigation water has been submitted to the Punjab Government, proposing various mechanized farming measures.
He also highlighted the potential of Cholistan to boost the livestock sector, suggesting that eradicating foot-and-mouth disease could increase the production of meat, milk, and dairy products, ultimately enhancing exports and reducing poverty. He emphasized the transformative impact of adopting regenerative agriculture on the region. Additionally, Rabbani referenced the newly launched Chief Minister School Nutrition Program by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.
During the meeting, Scott Whoolery shared information about UNICEF’s ongoing efforts to improve education, maternal and child health, and clean drinking water and sewage facilities in flood-affected districts of South Punjab.