Pro-poor Growth and Governance in South Asia—Decentralisation and Participatory Development

The launch of the SAPNA study “Pro-poor Growth and Governance in South Asia: Decentralisation and Participatory Development”, during the 21st Annual Conference of the Pakistan Society for Development Economics was most fortunate. The presence of Minister Daniyal Aziz in the Chair was not accidental. When the Prime Minister of Pakistan visited Sri Lanka recently, he was presented with a copy. He immediately saw in this Pro Poor Growth Strategy, the link between Pakistan’s attempt at decentralisation reforms to deepen political democratic processes and the need for a more balanced growth path, which could also result in greater economic democracy. He suggested that Minister Aziz chair this session and evolve a more holistic conceptual framework to guide his own work in the National Reconstruction Bureau.