USAID assures cooperation in clean energy, small dam projects.

LAHORE -- Mission Director of USAID Pakistan Mr Reed Aeschliman called on Punjab Chief Minister ChParvez Elahi at his office and agreed to enhance the develAopment partnership between Punjab and USAID on Tuesday.

Both agreed to promote biAlateral cooperation in IT, agAriculture, water management, energy, education and security sectors. Cooperation was asAsured by USAID regarding the construction of small dams and clean energy and Reed AeAschliman welcomed the progAress regarding the agreement to declare Punjab and CaliforAnia 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 econoAmy, business and investment. Under the new growth stratAegy of USAID for the next five years, steps would be taken to expand cooperation in the fuAture, he said.

'My earlier education reAforms program was appreciAated globally'; Parvez Elahi remarked and added that eduAcation had been made free up to graduation by the incumAbent government.

'The water management program was started in 2002 but the subsequent governAment 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 surArendered this project to poliAtics. Now, the government is going to restart the construcAtion of small dams as it would provide cheap electricity and water to the farmers', he told the USAID director.

The chief minister further stated the government was also providing solar...