LAHORE: A delegation of seven officers from Balochistan government visited the Planning and Development Board Punjab to meet with stakeholders and government departments to gain knowledge about working and implementation methodology of various social protection programmes in Punjab. Provincial Secretary Planning and Development Balochistan Ghulam Farooq Marri was leading his delegation accompanied by Rauf Baloch, Secretary Social Welfare Department, Balochistan, Balach Aziz, Secretary Religious Affairs, Saeed Ahmed, DG Labour, Asif Khosa Deputy Director Women Development, Ali bin Mehmood Assistant Chief (FA) P&D and Enayatullah Research Officer (FA) P&D Balochistan.

Addressing the delegation, Hamid Yaqoob Sheikh, Chairman Planning & Development Punjab, during the knowledge sharing briefing, said that the purpose of social protection policy was to bring ease in the lives of the impecunious strata.

For that purpose, special projects are being started for the deserving women, children and the elders and new programmes will also be formulated for speedy wellbeing of the low-income families.

Chairman P&D said that one-window welfare counters were being established at e-Khidmat Centres to facilitate needy segments of society who will be provided the services of Punjab Social Protection Authority through these counters.

The government is also taking steps for education, free treatment, screening, legal and psychological consultation and shelter of the transgender children.

Balochistan team leader Ghulam Farooq Marri, Secretary P&D Balochistan, said the Balochistan government with the assistance of World Bank was in process of finalising the draft bill of Balochistan Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation Authority.

In this connection, a team of officers from relevant departments visited Punjab Social Protection Authority and Planning & Development Board Punjab to share knowledge about working of PSPA and the implementation methodology of various programmes through government departments like Social Welfare, Education, Health, Livestock and the Labour etc.

Chief Regional Planning, P&D Board Punjab Dr Shahid Adil briefed the delegation about the working of Planning & Development Board Punjab.

Dr Ayesha Saeed Director General Social Welfare Punjab and senior representative of Punjab Social Protection Authority and other relevant departments also attended the knowledge sharing briefing session.