Lahore, November 22, 2022 (PPI-OT):Mr Reed Aeschliman, Mission Director of USAID Pakistan called on Chief Minister Punjab Chaudhry Parvez Elahi at his office and agreed to enhance the development partnership between Punjab and USAID on Tuesday. Both agreed to promote bilateral cooperation in IT, agriculture, water management, energy, education and security sectors. Cooperation was assured by USAID regarding the construction of small dams and clean energy and Reed Aeschliman welcomed the progress regarding the agreement to declare Punjab and California as sister states.
The CM termed USAID as 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 program was appreciated globally; Parvez Elahi remarked and added that education has been made free up to graduation by the incumbent government. The water management program 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.
Unfortunately, the PML-N government surrendered this project to politics, he added. 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 programs would be welcomed. He added that a cell has 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 monitors the progress of public welfare programs in Punjab. The CM stated that Rescue 1122 is the best emergency service in Pakistan but also in South Asia. This service has been devolved to provide convenience to the people. The Emergency Services Academy has been built on modern lines.
The rescue 1122 staff was the first to reach out to the flood victims. The provincial government has given a huge relief package for flood affectees 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 CM.
Reed Aeschliman thanked CM for the support of the Punjab government and stated that cooperation would be promoted with the Punjab government. Would be happy to extend support to the Punjab government in various areas; he added and said that Punjab is a large province and all possible support would be extended to boost the growth of Punjab. We are trying our best to have more development in Punjab, increase investment and boost business; in this regard, our cooperation would continue, he further said.
Deputy Mission Director USAID Yohannes Araya, Project Management Specialist Waseem Ashraf, Chief Secretary Abdullah Sumbal, former federal secretary and chairman P and D Salman Ghani, Principal Secretary Muhammad Khan Bhatti, former principal secretary GM Sikandar, ACS (Home) Capt (R) Asadullah Khan, Chairman PBIT Fazeel Asif, DG Punjab Emergency Services, secretary energy, secretary P and D and others were also present.
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