Manual for Development Projects - Planning Commission

Chapter-9
communities. It is a response to the realization that the past investments in the social sectors have yielded
significantly less than desirable results and that social development did not match the respectable growth of
above 6 percent that the country had achieved in the economic field.
9.2 SAP enshrines the concern the Government has for the rural/poor, the disadvantaged and marginalized
people of the country. It aims at helping reduce poverty, improve well being of the people and decelerate
population growth. It comprises Government effort to strengthen basic social services through primary
education, primary health care, family planning, and rural water supply and sanitation. The Government
fully realizes that Pakistan's weak social services and higher population growth of about 3% per annum are
undermining the country's development efforts and impeding the quality of life. Educational attainments
and health indicators, especially for women, fall short of the countries of similar income levels.
9.3 SAP focuses on the most vulnerable or marginalized groups of society, such as, the rural poor and
women through emphasis on girls enrolment at the primary level and recruitment of a larger number of
women as teachers and learning coordinators. The school enrolment is planned to be increased to bring
basic education up to minimum quality standards. It will also strengthen the primary health care system and
sharply expand family planning services. Finally, the SAP will increase the area served by rural water
supply and sanitation facilities and associate communities in the planning, designing, implementation,
monitoring and maintenance of these services.
9.4 The concept is not merely to construct new facilities but also to involve communities and people in the
system to ensure sustained and improved service delivery. The SAP strategy to accelerate pace of social
development includes:
-- Ensuring adequate financial allocations (development and recurrent) for the above mentioned four SAP
sectors.
-- Improving delivery of social services.
-- Strengthening institutional mechanisms.
-- Facilitating NGOs and community participation.
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9.5 SAP emphasizes implementation through policy dialogue and close coordination among concerned
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9/23/2010