LAHORE, Pakistan: The Punjab Finance Minister Dr. Ayesha Ghaus Pasha has said that the provincial government in collaboration with the UNICEF Pakistan would conduct Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) by using MICS six methodology at Tehsil Level with larger indicators in upcoming year 2017.
This MICS would also provide base line for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for monitoring the reporting indicators in the Punjab Province.
She expressed these views while addressing the launching ceremony of “Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) Report 2014 Punjab” jointly organized by Bureau of Statistics P&D and UNICEF on Tuesday here at Lahore. MICS report, based on a District Level survey capturing socio economic indicators particularly focusing on children and women, has been put together by the BOS, P&D, Punjab with technical support from the United Nations Children’s Fund.
Finance Minister said that MICS’s objective was to collect statistically sound and internationally comparable data essential for developing evidence based policies and programmes and for monitoring progress towards global, national and provincial goals. The MICS 2014 was the result of devoted efforts of different provincial departments and organizations. Punjab Government also provided major funding for the survey through the Provincial Annual Development Programme (ADP) and a moderate contribution by UNICEF was also valued. Chairman P&D Punjab who headed the provincial steering committee extended his fullest kind support throughout the process, she added.
Ayesha Pasha disclosed that Punjab Growth Strategy was very important and vital for further development in Province. Government has to act quickly and needs close collaboration with the citizens. MICS Punjab 2014 was also based on data collected in 2014 from more than 41,000 households using MICS five methodology which covered 125 socio economic indicators. Three separate questionnaires, household, women and children were used for evidence. Punjab needs evidence based policy by providing all resources to collect data. Punjab showed an improvement in 56 indicators while the progress on other 36 indicators has either slightly decreased or remained unchanged. 25 new indicators provided district baseline to monitor the performance in future. In 2015, 300 surveys have been conducted 108 countries. These survey have helped generate reliable data based on key indicators for the well-being of children and women to help shape policies for improving their lives, she concluded.
Provincial Minister for Population Welfare Zakia Shahnawaz also presiding over the technical session of this ceremony.
Addressing the ceremony, Punjab Chairman P&D Muhammad Jahanzeb Khan said that Punjab Government along with the national and international partners was committed to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) vis-à-vis education, health, water supply, sanitation, poverty sector. It would require not only provision of adequate resources but also a very robust system for ascertaining the area specific needs, efficient use of resources and regular monitoring of the results and impacts. The first district based MICS was conducted 2003-04 while second and third round of MICS took place in 2007-08 and 2011. MICS Punjab 2014 was a district based survey covering 125 indicators, and was the largest on this account. The result of MICS Punjab 2014 would enable the Punjab Government to measure progress made on key social indicators. It also provided a baseline for a number of new social indicators which were not covered earlier. All the rounds of MICS, permitted the provincial and district governments to monitor their respective status of human and social development with precise data on variety of key indicators. It will also assist the decision maker to move towards new avenues of human and social development.
UNICEF Pakistan senior representative Angeelena karnay said that these survey to be a most imperative tools in determining government budgetary outlays, particularly for the social sector. Besides many international papers, various students have completed their M.Phil and Ph.D theses by using the MICS data. Punjab P&D, UNICEF and other stakeholders at the provincial and district level richly deserved all the credit for coming up with an excellent report. Sajid Rasool Director General BOS P&D, former DG BOS Shamim Rafique also gave their presentations and provincial ministers, senior officials from the Punjab Government, development partners, researchers, academia and member of civil society attended the launching ceremony.
