ISLAMABAD – The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) Monday recommendedtwo projects worth Rs. 345.626 billion to the Executive Committee of theNational Economic Council (ECNEC) for further consideration.
The recommended projects also includes Rs332.845bn project forimplementation of universal health coverage under health insurance programin Punjab which will enable the provincial government to provide insurancescheme coverage for 100% population of the province’s permanent residents.
The CDWP meeting presided over by Deputy Chairman Planning CommissionMohammad Jehanzeb Khan, recommended two projects related to health andeducation to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council(ECNEC) for further consideration. Secretary Planning Hamid Yaqoob Sheikh,senior officials from Planning Commission and Federal Ministries/Divisionsalso participated in the meeting while representatives from provincialgovernments participated through video conferences.
Rs332.845b project for implementation of universal health coverage underhealth insurance programme in Punjab also among approved schemes
A project related to health was presented in the meeting namely“Implementation of Universal Health Coverage under health insurance programin Punjab” worth Rs. 332844.878 million that was recommended to ECNEC forfurther consideration. The main objective of the program includes insurancescheme coverage for 100% population of Punjab for its permanent residentsas per CNIC issued by NADRA. The scheme will provide cashless in-patienthealthcare secondary and priority care services through an open enrolmentpolicy. There is no limit to family size. The health insurance program is ahospitalization scheme mainly; daycare admission will also be covered inthe program.
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Household members of family will be able to avail following health cover,i. To access the secondary care hospitalization component includingmaternity benefits up to Rs.60,000 per family per annum. ii. A prioritycare component limited to Rs, 400,000 per family per annum. iii. The excessof loss coverage shall include provision of Rs. 60,000 per family per annumon top of secondary healthcare coverage iv. Provision of Rs. 200,000 perfamily per annum on top of priority healthcare coverage.
A project worth Rs. 12782 million related to Higher Education Commissionwas presented in the meeting namely “Higher Education Development inPakistan (HEDP)- Revised” that was recommenced to ECNEC for furtherapproval. The period of completion and expected date of completion is 60months. The main objective of the projects is to focus on is low andequitable participation for students from disadvantaged backgrounds; Poorquality of teaching and research conditions (including inadequate andirrelevant research, and limited links between HEIs and the industrial andservices sectors of the economy); Below-par institutional governance andmanagement, especially lack the Higher Education Management InformationSystem (HEMIS), which severely complicates long-term sectoral andinstitutional planning, monitoring, and accountability. These challengesare particularly exacerbated for affiliated colleges; Technical assistanceHigher education policy development and capacity building throughpartnerships, regulation and funding of higher education sector and projectmanagement monitoring and evaluation, and Higher Education Data Repositoryand Data-Driven Services.
