ISLAMABAD, Aug 21: The Asian Development Bank has approved a technical assistance grant of $350,000 to the government for a social protection strategy development study.

The study will identify ways of reducing the vulnerability of the poorest sections of society and help translate the poverty reduction objective into effective social protection programmes.

ADB Country Director Marshuk Ali Shah said in a statement that the study would draw up a comprehensive and coordinated plan of social protection development.

He said a feasibility study would be carried out for health insurance, to form the basis for future ADB interventions in the field, such as a social health insurance project included in the bank’s pipeline of assistance in 2006.

The labour ministry will be the executing agency for the study.

A steering committee would be created to guide the study, with representatives from the labour, finance, health women’s development, social welfare and special education ministries, the Planning Commission and the provinces.

The committee will be assisted by a technical working group.

The study, beginning in November, will be carried out over five months.