ISLAMABAD

The government of Japan has agreed to provide to Pakistan grant worth $17.5 million for two projects in the energy and education sectors.
Charge d’ Affaires ad interim of the Embassy of Japan Junya Matsuura and Secretary, Economic Affairs Division (EAD) Tariq Bajwa signed the agreements, on the behalf of their countries, at a ceremony held at the Economic Affairs Division on Tuesday.
Junya, on the occasion, underscored the importance of both the energy sector and girls’ education, which, he said, were significant challenges for Pakistan.
He also reaffirmed Japan’s continuous support for the development of Pakistan and well-being of its people
“The government of Japan, he said, had accordingly agreed to provide grants, worth 1,967 million Yen (approx. $17.5 million), to the government of Pakistan to improve grid station operations and build around 25 girls schools in the northern rural Sindh,” he said.
Under the agreement, Japan will dole out 994 million Yen (approx. $8.9 million) to Pakistan for the energy sector project, while for building girls schools; it would give 973 million Yen, equivalent to $8.6 million. On the same occasion, grant agreements, for the implementation of these projects, were signed between Yasuhiro Tojo, Chief Representative of JICA and Syed Mujtaba Hussain, Joint Secretary of EAD.
Talking to a selected group of journalists, JICA’s Pakistan Representative Ogasahara said, “The Project for Strengthening Training Center on Grid System Operations and Maintenance’, will help Technical Service Group (TSG) of the National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC) develop training courses with the aid of advanced Japanese technology.”
He added that JICA had completed its technical cooperation project in 2014 for the capacity building of trainers of grid system operators of NTDC
Under the project for upgrading primary girls schools and elementary schools in northern rural Sindh, around 25 schools will be built in Khairpur, Sukkur, Ghotki, Shikarpur, Larkana and Dadu in order to enable more and more girls to receive middle education
Chief Representative of JICA, Tojo, while commenting on the significance of the projects, said, “JICA will continue its support to Pakistan’s energy and education sector for the development of both its infrastructure and human resources.”
These two projects signed is part of Japan’s contribution in the energy sector and education sector.