Japan provides single largest grant-in-aid of Rs6b
Japan has extended its grant-in-aid of Japanese ¥4.1 billion or Rs6 billion for improvement of water treatment plant and water distribution system in Faisalabad aiming to increase the production capacity of the water treatment plant, transmission and distribution systems.
Economic Affairs Division Secretary Noor Ahmed and Ambassador of Japan Kuninori Matsuda signed the exchange notes and record of discussions on behalf of their governments. This is the third intervention by the Japanese government in WASH (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene) to address the issues being faced by urban cities in Pakistan. A similar assistance was extended to Faisalabad for replacement of pumping machinery at in-line booster pump station and terminal reservoirs worth $13.4 million and to Metropolitan Corporation of Islamabad worth $ 4.7 million.
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Speaking on the occasion, the Economic Affairs Division secretary said that Pakistan values the reciprocal and congenial relations with Japan and both countries share mutual stance on most of the regional and international affairs.
He further stated that Pakistan is one of the developing countries where the limited water resources are depleting drastically due to rapid population growth and increasing economic activities, and water is the core source of not only sustainability of life but also various developmental sectors such as health, agriculture, energy, urban and industrial development. “Therefore, Japan’s assistance regarding water and sanitation is highly valued by Pakistan. Japanese economic assistance has played and shall continue to play a vital role in the socioeconomic uplift of Pakistan.”
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Meanwhile, the Japanese ambassador stressed that this is the single largest grant-in-aid from Japan to Pakistan this year. Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Chief Furuta emphasised that Faisalabad is the third most populated city of Pakistan with a population of 3.8 million, limited water resources and ineffective water distribution network along with threats of industrial wastes and sewerage deposits flowing into the water supply pose serious environmental and health hazards.
This project will enhance the capacity of WASA Faisalabad in distribution of clean drinking water supply to the city and it will build capacity of the Punjab government to replicate the same model in other cities. WASA Faisalabad Managing Director Jabbar Anwar assured of quick implementation of this project so that the citizen of Faisalabad could benefit from this Japanese assistance at the earliest.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 21st, 2021.
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