Women welfare projects would be allotted Rs 14.2 billion in the province during the current fiscal year said Punjab Planning and Development Board (PPDB) Secretary Arif Anwar Baloch as he addressed a seminar on “gender responsive budgeting” on Saturday.
“Projects for women welfare have been planned keeping in view ground realities and receiving feedback from government departments and other stakeholders,” he said and expressed hope for the timely execution the projects.
Baloch said that an amount of Rs 4.5 billion was being allocated for mother and child healthcare in the province. He added that Rs 100 million had been allocated for setting up of daycare centers to help working women and enable them to work with dedication. “A quota of 15 percent employment for women in government service has also been agreed upon, which is a revolutionary step,” he said.
The secretary added that a special fund for development of women had also been constituted which amounts to Rs 500 million. “The government is also working to reform laws to enable women to get their due share of inheritance,” he said adding, that after the reforms no one would be able to deprive women of their rights.
Project Manager Muhammad Zaman Wattoo, Monitoring Specialist Gulzar Ahmed, senior officers of P&D, EDOs and other officers were also present on the occasion.