PAF benefits discernale among poor

members including Dalits and Janajatis, according to the highlights of the findings of an impact study conducted in 200 villages of six PAF districts in 2010.

Sharing the findings, Dr Gayatri Acharya, a senior economist and leader of the nine-member task team, said that the household consumption in PAF programme area has increased by 28.3 per cent in real terms. "Those households who have received PAF monetary assistance for 6-19 months, the per capita consumption has increased significantly by 44.4 per cent," she said, adding that PAF has contributed substantially in school attendance of the Dalit and Janajati children.

The team is evaluating progress towards the development objectives and updating information on the key performance indicators before finalising a concept note for additional financing for the programme.

"PAF has assisted the poor to shift to wage employment lessening their involvement in traditional household duties and has lowered the involvement of school-going children in household duties," she said during the discussions with a World Bank team that has begun a week-long progress evaluation and consultations for additional funding needs for the PAF.

"There has been a 10 per cent increase in food sufficiency levels for the poor," she added.

Similarly, executive director of PAF Raj Babu Shrestha, said the requirement for additional funding was urgent to cover more poor households in the recently added 15 districts, to deepen the programme initiated in the earlier 25 districts, and to initiate the poverty pocket approach in the remaining 35 districts.

Susan Goldmark, World Bank Country Director for Nepal, said the evidence confirms that the bottom-up and community-driven approach is cost-effective and efficient delivery mechanism to reach out to the most vulnerable and the disadvantaged people of Nepal even during the difficult transitions. She suggested that the programme focuses on community infrastructure projects that have direct links to livelihood improvement.

Ram Kumar Sharma, member of the National Planning Commission (NPC), said that PAF has its relevancy as it is one of the key tool for social inclusion and poverty targeting as per the current three years interim plan.

Rameshowr Khanal, finance secretary, suggested PAF to disseminate impact evaluations findings to wider public. While expressing commitment to provide more resources, he stated that PAF will continue to attract resources from donors, if the delivery on grounds is effective.

Highlighting the recent understanding made with PAF recently, Krishan Gyawali, secretary at the ministry of local development said PAF and MoLD, through a task team are working to align the two agencies' development plan at the local level.

Leelaman Poudel, secretary at the Prime minister office lauded PAF for joining hands with number of institutions and programme for effective services to the poor community.

He stressed for mainstreaming of PAF with local government's programme and suggested the PAF to work out safe exit strategy for the community organisation.

In his closing remarks, PAF vice chairperson Vidyadhar Mallik said that PAF should be strengthened as a basket fund for targeted poverty alleviation progrmme to avoid duplications of programmes with similar development objective and to establish synergies.

Highlighting the gap in resources required to deepen penetration among the hard-core poor and for social infrastructure projects, Mallik urged the donor community to join hands with PAF. "We request the donor community to join hands in supporting us through a pool funding mechanism," he added.

During the weeklong mission, the team will carry out field visits and is slated to hold discussions with NPC vice-chairman Dr Jagadish Chandra Pokherel, Chief SecretaryMadhav Ghimire and PAF board members, before wrapping up with a meeting at the Ministry of Finance on December 20