ISLAMABAD, MAR 20: The Government of Japan has agreed to provide grants worth 4.1 billion Japanese Yen (Equivalent to around USD 39 million / around PKR 6.2 billion) for improvement of water treatment plant and water distribution system in Faisalabad city, Punjab province.
Notes to this effect were signed and
exchanged between MATSUDA Kuninori, Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan
and Noor Ahmed, Secretary, Ministry of Economic Affairs in Islamabad and a
Grant Agreement (G/A) on the details of the implementation of the project was
signed and exchanged between Mr. FURUTA Shigeki, Chief Representative, Japan
International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Pakistan Office and Ms. Syeda Adeela
Bokhari, Joint Secretary (Japan/NGO/INGO), Ministry of Economic Affairs.
This grant project has been
formulated based on the prioritized project listed in the Master Plan, aiming
not only to increase the water supply capacity for the currently unserved
50,000 inhabitants, but also to expand the output of the pilot projects in the
grant project’s target area (Abudulah Pur and Madina Town No.2). In particular,
the Old Jhal Khanuana Water Treatment Plant will be renewed and the water
transmission and distribution facilities will also be rehabilitated in
Faisalabad city under grant aid cooperation. Furthermore, JICA is also planning
to assist WASA-F through a new technical cooperation project for improving
their management capacity.
Through this continuous
assistance, WASA-F is expected to be a role model in Pakistan that can keep a
virtuous cycle of 1) enhancing water supply service level, 2) improving
customer satisfaction, 3) improving tariff revenue, and 4) improving financial
condition of WASA-F for future investment leading further to better services.
This “Faisalabad model” would become a replicable model for other cities in the
future.
At the signing ceremony,
Ambassador MATSUDA stated, “Supply of safe and ample water for the Pakistani
people is one of the most important issues for the Imran Khan Administration,
and this sector is also one of the strongest areas for Japan. We would like to
continue to cooperate with Pakistan in the water and sanitation sector so that
when people talk about water and sanitation development assistance, they think
of Japan. For Pakistani people, Japan is known as “the Country of Rising Sun”;
but, from now on she aspires to become a “Source of Clean Water” ”.
Mr. FURUTA Shigeki while speaking
at the ceremony said “I hope that the grant aid project will be successful not
only as a project, but as an important milestone for giving an impact for
reforming water supply management in Punjab and in Pakistan in the future”.
Ambassador MATSUDA and Mr. FURUTA
emphasized the importance of water supply services and Mr. Noor Ahmed,
Secretary, Ministry of Economic Affairs expressed his deepened appreciation for
Japanese high quality and continual support for the water and sanitation sector
in Pakistan.
Through this grant aid, the Government of Japan and JICA will continue to assist water supply services conducted by the Government of Punjab and the Government of Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
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