The Urban Unit in collaboration with the Planning & Development Department has launched the Punjab Spatial Strategy - Business Plan of Punjab. The launching ceremony was held under the chair of Punjab Finance Minister Hashim Jawan Bakht on Thursday here at a local hotel in Lahore.
The launch ceremony was attended by the World Bank Group representatives, provincial ministers, technical experts, high ranking government officers, donor agencies, development organizations and people from various walks of life.
Addressing the launch ceremony, the Punjab Finance Minister said, "Punjab Spatial Strategy would act as a master plan for sustainable and balanced development of Punjab. The strategy is prepared in tandem with the sectoral priorities of various departments. It sets out the province's strategic objectives that will give direction to the broad pattern of public investments in Punjab. The strategy aims to create an environment that fosters economic opportunity, improve the quality of life by reducing disparities and progress settlements into smart, competitive and livable places".
At the ceremony, Secretary Planning and Development Department Imran Sikandar Baloch said, "PSS's vision is driven by seven strategic objectives (SOs) layered with 25 policy statements (PSs), each elaborating on policy rationale, targets, key action and stakeholders. 80 percent of infrastructure investments in Punjab will be aligned through PSS leading to a more prosperous and equitable province".
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Salman Shah, Advisor to CM on Economic Affairs, Planning & Development, said: "Punjab has nine divisions, 36 districts comprising of approximately 24,000 villages and 194 urban settlements ranging from mega to intermediate and small cities. PSS is expected to have a lasting spatial impact on policymaking, planning and development interventions by both the public and private sectors in Punjab. For the first time it will systematically integrate sectoral economics and spatial economics in designing economic strategy in Pakistan".
Khalid Sherdil, CEO of the Urban Unit, said that Urban Unit proudly claims to have developed the Punjab Spatial Strategy that provides a long-term spatial planning framework for the province of Punjab. PSS envisions Punjab as a healthy, educated, prosperous, equitable and sustainable federating unit of a dynamic Pakistan, emerging as a member of upper-middle income group of countries.
Comments
Comments are closed.