LAHORE: Following a series of consultative seminars, the Lahore Vision-2035 document was presented at a ceremony held here on Saturday, envisioning sustainable development for the Punjab capital that is people-centric, environment-friendly, equitable and inclusive.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Centre for Public Policy and Governance (CPPG) of Forman Christian College and the Punjab government’s Urban Unit collaborated in holding the series of seminars to develop the document.

Representatives of the USAID-Pakistan, key stakeholders from the government, industry leaders and representatives of corporate, non-profit and academic institutions attended the event.

The Lahore Vision 2035 seminars gave stakeholders in Lahore an opportunity to share their vision for Lahore in the coming decades. They presented position papers on five different sectors in Lahore -- transport planning, water supply, sewage and solid waste management, governance and urban management, real estate markets and trade friendliness.

These papers culminated in the final Lahore Vision 2035 document after intense consultations were conducted with stakeholders through public seminars.

The initiative is expected to help the provincial as well as city district governments in setting development priorities and integrating development schemes for the city. It also seeks to transform Lahore into a citizen-centric city by 2035, in which government institutions respond to residents’ needs in an inclusive and equitable manner, delivering environmentally-friendly services efficiently and sustainably.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2014