Evolution
Agency for Barani Areas Development (ABAD) is an attached department of the Planning and Development Board, Government of the Punjab, Lahore. The Agency was established on 15th May1978, on the recommendations of Punjab Barani Commission (1976), where the role of ABAD in terms of Planning, Supervising and Coordinating the development activities was delegated. The Barani Commission report suggested that in order to launch a planned and adequately supported program of development in the tract it would be necessary to provide an effective agency; such an agency may be named "The Agency for Barani Areas Development (ABAD)."
Mission
Implementing the development programs for the Barani areas of the Punjab province and coordinating the activities of the departments responsible for the execution of the development schemes in these areas. To transform socio-economic landscape of Barani region by creating enormous avenues of livelihood. Poverty Alleviation through efficient utilization of available resources in Barani Tract by launching the multi-sectoral development projects.
Objectives
The prime objectives of the agency are as follows:
- Increasing the agricultural productivity of Barani areas to attain food sufficiency for reducing poverty on sustainable basis
- Devising sustainable measures for the management of land resources in the Barani tract for checking the soil losses
- Harvesting scarce water potential by conserving precipitation and surface flow in feasible size of reservoirs along-with efficient use of ground water
- Improving livestock resources including fisheries
- Developing human resources in Barani areas by imparting education, training and skills, to promote employment opportunities including self employment
- Horticulture Development, tree crops maximization and improvement of local trees, forage species and food trees
Functions
Below mentioned are the main functions of the agency:
- To coordinate the planning, budgeting and efficient implementation of developmental activities taken by ABAD
- Monitoring and evaluation of developmental projects
- Revision of projects targets through additional budgetary allocation
- Projects with the concurrence of the governments for stimulating growth in the socio economic sectors