LAHORE  - The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will provide machinery and equipment worth Rs one billion for center of excellence at 19 Govt Colleges of Technologies (GCTs) across the province of the Punjab to train Associate Engineers in the mechanical technology. The basic purpose for establishing the center of excellence in 19 Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA)- GCT’s is to provide trained manpower according to the needs of the industry. It was disclosed by In-charge JICA Projects in Asia Yoji Toriumi in a briefing regarding progress of JICA Project at TEVTA Secretariat. Chief Advisor JICA in Pakistan Mr. Kurokawa, JICA Expert Sawada, Chief Operating Officer TEVTA Khalid Mahmood and other officers of TEVTA attended the presentation.  On this occasion, Yoji Toriumi said that the decision has been taken after successful launch off a center of excellent in DAE Mechanical and Architecture Technology at Govt. College of Technology, Railway Road, Lahore, with the technical and financial assistance of JICA.The targets of the said five years project for DAE Mechanical and Architecture Technology at G.C.T. Railway Road Lahore, were curriculum development, teachers training, availability of latest equipments, improvement of managerial capacity of the concerned staff and provisions of placement support mechanism, he said.  TEVTA provided space to establish center of excellence and ensured facilities including office furniture, consumables and other utilities, he said. He said that in accordance with the academic requirement, relevant teachers of GCT Railway Road were sent to get training in Japan.  First batch of 300 pass outs of the said center has been absorbed completely at various public and private sector organizations, he said.  He also explained various JICA schemes under which JICA is supporting Pakistan.  NNI