Punjab decides to set Sustainable Development Goals

The Punjab Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, here on Thursday gave in-principle approval to a four-year strategic action plan (2019-2023) and annual action plan (2019-2020) to set Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The action plan will set key performance parameters for government officials for their integration into the development process. It was also decided to approve their integration into the state budgetary process.

An official spokesperson of the Chief Minister's Office said these key parameters were in line with the UN 2030 development agenda, which contained 17 SDGs, comprehensively covering social, economic and environmental dimensions.

Focussed on goals, targets and performance assessment of each department, these would be reflected in the annual performance appraisal reports (APAR) of key personnel as per targets assigned to them.

The Cabinet also gave green signal to the strategic action plans of Health and Family Welfare, Food and Civil Supplies, Forests and Wildlife and Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries departments.

The SDGs and targets had been mapped to the administrative departments with each SDG assigned to one nodal department as one goal related to many departments.

The state had also adopted the National Indicators Framework with implementing departments preparing the state specific indicators.

--IANS

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