Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 21: The Singapore Government has offered technical support to J&K Government for capacity building in three key areas of skill development, riverfront development and water management.
This was revealed by the Minister for Finance, Dr Haseeb Drabu on his return from 3-day official visit to Singapore.
Dr Drabu said during his visit, he held extensive deliberations with the Ministers, government officials and experts in Singapore on how best the expertise of that country could be utilized for capacity building in some critical areas in J&K.
He said the three key areas identified for collaboration include skill development, riverfront development and water management for which the Singapore Government will be extending technical expertise to J&K.
The Finance Minister said after follow-up discussions at the official level, Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) would be signed between the concerned authorities in Singapore and the J&K Government to kick-start the collaborative mechanism in the identified areas.
He said the Singapore Government has already established a Skill Development Centre in Assam and has also signed an MoU with Odisha Government in this regard.
“A similar collaboration between J&K Government and Singapore will certainly step up the quality of our skilled youth,” Dr Drabu said and added that as the J&K Government is in the process of developing human and social capital for enhancing the capabilities of its youth this partnership will go a long way in fulfilling this objective.
He said similarly Singapore has made the strides in riverfront development and water management under the country’s waterfront rejuvenation programme and replication of such a programme could help J&K in speedy restoration and revival of its waterfronts. “Singapore as a separate Master Plan for water-based activities in the country and a similar concept could be implemented in J&K for rejuvenation of waterways and water resources,” he said.
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