Poverty Reduction Support Credit (4)

closed

The Poverty Reduction Support Credit (PRSC-4) is the fourth in a series of operations supporting the implementation of the PRSP, in line with the Bank's strategy presented in the 2000 Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) and the 2003 CAS progress report. Consistent with the four strategic pillars of the PRSP-accelerating broad-based growth, promoting access to social services, increasing employment and income- generating activities for the poor, and promoting good governance- PRSC-4 supports the implementation of key reforms to accelerate growth and income creation, improve social service delivery, and strengthen budget management and governance. There are three project components. Under the growth and income creation component, the operation supports reforms in the cotton, telecommunication, and energy sectors as well as the labor market to lower factor costs, increase productivity, and favor new investments. The second component of the credit includes policies in the education, health, and water sectors to build infrastructure, lower the cost of services, improve service quality, and reinforce monitoring and evaluation. The third component encompasses policy measures to strengthen budget execution, procurement, budget control, public sector performance, decentralization, and environmental management.