ISLAMABAD, July 26: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $400,000 technical assistance grant to support improved delivery of social sector services by local governments in Balochistan.
The devolved social services sector programme for Balochistan, included in ADB's 2005 pipeline of assistance for $60 million, would support social sector services in all districts of the province, with an emphasis on local cost services that will benefit the poor, and women and children.
Following a similar programme in Sindh in 2003, and in Punjab this year, the programme would be demand driven and performance-based, an ADB statement said. The TA will design support mechanisms that will induce local governments and communities to make social services more effective, efficient, equitable, and sustainable.
It will then plan the programme loan to establish these support mechanisms and a related reform agenda, as well as capacity-building support for local governments.
"The assistance will help the Balochistan Government identify reforms necessary in public sector social service policy and delivery that will have major benefits for the poor in health, education, and water supply and sanitation," explains Marshuk Ali Shah, Country Director of the ADB in Pakistan.
Balochistan's rural communities face poor conditions and services, with only half the people having access to clean drinking water, half of school-age children attending elementary school, and one third of children aged 12-23 months immunised.
"There is an urgent need to establish sector-wide priorities, involving expansion of the water supply and sanitation sector, strengthening the municipal administrations and mobilising communities to manage small-scale water and sanitation schemes on a self-sustaining basis," the ADB said.
In the education sector, access and quality of instruction needs to be improved through the recruitment of more teachers, cutting teacher absenteeism, and improving facilities and school supplies.
In the health sector, a systematic approach needs to be introduced on the principles of primary health care and integrated priority programmes with strong emphasis on public- private partnerships and community involvement through health boards.
Devolution is expected to increase community participation in basic social services to make them more accountable, effective, and sustainable.
The Planning and Development Department, Government of Balochistan, is the executing agency for the TA, which is due to start in October 2004 and will be completed around February 2005.