ADB Invests $381 Million in Punjab’s Future with New Projects
Teh Asian Growth Bank (ADB) announced Saturday the approval of three significant projects totaling $381 million, designed to bolster economic growth within the Punjab province of Pakistan. The investments span crucial sectors including agriculture, education, and healthcare.
According to ADB Country Director for Pakistan, emma Fan, “Investing in education, health, and agricultural mechanisation will play a transformative role in driving the growth of Punjab, a vital pillar of pakistan’s economy.” She further emphasized the projects’ potential to “modernise agriculture, enhance human capital, and significantly improve livelihoods for millions of people across Punjab.”
A key component of the initiative is a $120 million loan coupled with a $4 million grant for the Punjab Climate-Resilient and Low-Carbon Agriculture Mechanisation Project. This project aims to modernize farming practices,making them more resilient to disasters and environmentally sustainable,ultimately benefiting 220,000 rural farm households. It will focus on increasing mechanization, providing alternative income opportunities for agricultural workers – including skills development for 15,000 women – and introducing innovative financing models to make advanced machinery accessible to small-scale farmers.
The ADB is also committing $107 million to the Responsive, ready, and Resilient STEM secondary Education in Punjab Program. This includes a $7 million grant from the Asian Development fund and a $100 million loan.The programme, implemented by the Punjab School Education Department, will modernize secondary education by improving access to quality STEM education throughout the province, utilizing a results-based approach.
a $150 million concessional loan has been approved for the Punjab Nursing and Health Workforce Reform Programme. Recognizing a critical shortage of qualified nurses both nationally and globally, this program will focus on upgrading nursing curricula, expanding faculty development, and implementing a digital human resource management system to better align workforce planning with healthcare needs. The program will establish three Centers of Excellence in Lahore, Multan, and Rawalpindi, equipped with cutting-edge simulation labs, digital learning platforms, and gender-responsive housing to address the growing demand for skilled healthcare professionals, both within Pakistan and abroad.
These new investments follow the ADB’s recent approval last month of $330 million in loans for Pakistan’s Second Power Transmission Strengthening Project, demonstrating a continued commitment to the country’s development.
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