USAID, Punjab to broaden partnership

CM vows to enhance cooperation for investment

LAHORE:

Punjab government and USAID Pakistan have agreed to promote cooperation in the IT, agriculture, water management, energy, education and security sectors.

The agreement was made during a meeting between Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and USAID Pakistan Mission Director Reed Aeschliman who called on the chief minister on Tuesday.

The USAID also offered cooperation in construction of small dams and clean energy projects as well as enhancement of the development partnership between Punjab and USAID.

Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister termed the USAID an excellent development partner of the Punjab government and vowed to enhance cooperation with it to improve the economy, business and investment. Under the new growth strategy of USAID for the next five years, steps would be taken to expand cooperation in the future, he said.

“My earlier education reforms programme was appreciated globally,” Pervaiz Elahi remarked and added that education had been made free up to the graduation by the incumbent government. The water management programme was started in 2002 but the subsequent government did not do anything about it. In the previous era, a project was envisaged to build small dams based on the flow of canal water. He alleged that the previous PML-N government had surrendered the project to politics.

Now, the government is going to restart the construction of small dams as it would provide cheap electricity and water to the farmers. Alongside this, the government is also providing solar tube wells to the farmers and electric vehicles are being introduced to fulfil the vision of a green Punjab, the CM said and mentioned that USAID’s support in these programmes would be welcomed.

He added that a cell had been created in the Planning and Development Board to implement the agreement to declare Punjab and California as sister states. This agreement would boost mutual contacts and investment. The IT companies of Silicon Valley would be welcomed to Punjab, the CM said and added that he personally monitored the progress of public welfare programmes in Punjab.

The chief minister stated that Rescue 1122 was the best emergency service in South Asia. This service has been devolved to provide convenience to the people. The Emergency Services Academy has been set up on modern lines.

The Rescue 1122 staff were the first to reach out to the flood victims. The provincial government has given a huge relief package for flood-affected people to the tune of billions of rupees. The damage to the houses and livestock of the victims has been compensated by the government, concluded the chief minister.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 23^rd, 2022.