UK, WB to Fund Public Service Projects

The British government and the World Bank will finance two separate programmes aimed at improving the quality of public service delivery and assessing public service needs of local communities in Punjab. While the World Bank will provide $50 million to implement the Punjab Public Management Reform Programme, the Department for International Development (DfID) of the British government will spend £11.5 million on the Sub-National Governance Programme.

Both programmes are spread over five years and disbursement of funds from the two agencies will start from the next financial year. The Punjab Public Management Reform Programme will be the first step towards opening up seven provincial departments, including education, health, irrigation, excise and taxation, Public Procurement Regulatory Authority, that directly affect the quality of life of citizens by dissemination of information on their websites and establishment of call centres to facilitate people and gather their feedback on departmental working and performance. The programme will also build capacity of the departments and make monitoring of development projects more effective and efficient to prevent loss of public money.

DAWN  I LAHORE I Wed, Dec 18, 2013 I