ISLAMABAD, Jan 29: The UNDP has launched a five-year programme aimed at improving local conditions of Kutchi Abadis or urban settlements as well as supporting income generation activities of people living in those areas.

According to a Press release, the programme entitled "National Urban Poverty Alleviation Programme" is worth $10 million and will apply a model that supports and promotes affordable, self-help based development initiatives.

The programme's two main areas of focus are social mobilisation and community empowerment. It will also support decentralisation and strengthening of local governance by creating constructive and effective partnerships among local communities, local government bodies, NGOs and the private sector.

APP adds: NUPAP will be operational in all four provinces and will initially concentrate in the cities of Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Multan, Rawalpindi, D.I. Khan, Bannu, Mithi, Jacobabad, Sibi, Harnai, Mirpur and Muzafarabad.

NUPAP is based on the lessons learned from community based urban initiatives in Pakistan such as Orangi Pilot Project, UNDP Local Urban Facility for Urban Environment (LIFE) and the recent experiences of the Punjab Programme for the Improvement of Livelihoods in Urban Settlements (PLUS).

These initiatives have experimented and developed alternative approaches to solving problems predominant in urban low-income communities based on a sharing of costs and responsibilities between local communities and local government. During 2001 - 2002, PLUS applied this approach in low-income areas in Gujranwala, Faisalabad and Multan.

Building directly on these experiences NUPAP is bringing urban poverty alleviation efforts to a national level by introducing a countrywide programme. The programme will support the formation and capacity building of Citizens Community Boards (CCBs) under the Devolution Ordinance.

Tehsil Administrations in the participating cities will be the key partner in the entire programme. NUPAP will help communities cross the psychological barrier of external dependence as well as ensure the project's financial sustainability.

The programme will be implemented based on priorities made by the local communities themselves such as primary health, basic education, sewerage, water supply and solid waste management. Income generating activities will be an important programme component with facilitation of micro credit, skills and entrepreneurship development.

The cities were selected on the basis of the district level commitment to development of urban low-income areas and a willingness to allocate funds from local budgets for cost sharing with communities.

The programme will work in one city for approximately 2-3 years, by which time it is believed that the component sharing methodology will be well known among the participants.

With a sufficient number of CCBs established, strengthened local capacity and expertise in the various basic infrastructure and social service sectors, these methods can be continued without the direct support of the project office.