ISLAMABAD: The federal government has sought financial assistance from Japan for the country’s water sector including flood control and capacity building of attached organisations of Ministry of Water Resources.
This request was placed by Minister for Water Resources, Moonis Ellahi, at a meeting with the Chief Representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Pakistan Shigeki Furuta. In-charge of Water Sector JICA Pakistan Office and Chief Engineering Adviser, M/o Water Resources were also present in the meeting.
Federal Minister Moonis Ellahi thanked JICA and Government of Japan for their continued presence in the overall development of various sectors of the economy of Pakistan including water and flood control sector.
The minister highlighted the need for enhancement of collaboration between Pakistan and Japan in various sub-sectors of water like flood control, water supply and solid waste management etc.
JICA Pakistan Office Chief Representative referring to JICA’s various completed and on-going projects in Pakistan appreciated the level of cooperation JICA had been receiving from Federal Flood Commission, Ministry of Water Resources, P&D Department of Punjab including all other related departments.
He especially mentioned JICA’s contribution in managing flood issues of Lai Nullah in Islamabad–Rawalpindi, institutional strengthening of relevant departments, provision and installation of state of the art weather surveillance radars in Islamabad and Karachi and JICA’s plan of installing similar weather radars in Multan and Sukkur besides JICA’s plan to provide flood management and institutional capacity building experts to FFC and revision of National Disaster Management Plan of NDMA.
He informed that JICA has extensive presence in Punjab and is developing a Model Water Supply Management Plan for Faisalabad city which shall be replicated in other cities as well. He also apprised the Minister about JICA’s raising Academy for capacity building of WASA, Lahore.
Minister for Water Resources while wrapping up discussion expressed the hope that Government of Japan will further increase the support for Pakistan in the water sector including initiatives on capacity building of institutions working under the Ministry of Water Resources through planned activities; and for WASA in Punjab, to better manage water supply and solid waste management issues in cities like Gujrat, Wazirabad etc, besides institutional strengthening of FFC to bring it at par with similar institutions in the region and support in the implementation of National Flood Protection Plan-IV.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021