Daily Times

HYDERABAD: The Consulate General of Japan in Karachi in collaboration with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) organised a one-day Official Development Assistance (ODA) press tour on Wednesday in which a selected group of journalists participated.

Reportedly, the journalists and the members of Consulate General and JICA visited the sites of two projects including Jamshoro Power Plant, which has been built under Japan’s ODA loan scheme with JICA, and the restoration of a water supply and sanitation system in Tando Muhammad Khan, which was heavily damaged due to the flood in 2011, built under Japanese Government’s Grant Assistance for the Grass-Roots Human Security Project (GGP) with Sindh Community Foundation (SCF).

The objective of the ODA press tour was to increase media’s awareness regarding the Japanese Government’s infrastructural development projects in Pakistan, and subsequently inform the people of Pakistan about the contribution of Japan towards improving Pakistan’s development in various areas.

During the visit at Jamshoro Power Plant, JICA representatives were briefed about the functionality, purpose and significance of the Jamshoro Thermal Power Station Project in the region.

The Jamshoro Power Generation Company Chief Executive Officer (CEO) informed that JICA financed JPY 20.987 billion for the construction of Unit-5 of the Jamshoro Thermal Power Station, which was built in 1994 with a total power generation capacity of 250 MW, and has been supplying electricity to the national grid since then.

The JICA representatives were further informed about its energy sector portfolio and technical cooperation.

The villagers expressed their gratitude to the Government of Japan for developing the infrastructure in their villagers.

The Government of Japan granted US$ 99,935, approximately Rs 9.4 million, to the SCF for the projects of improving water supply and sanitation systems of 27 flood-affected villages in the district of Tando Muhammad Khan.

Furthermore, the projects installed 216 hand water pumps, five water supply schemes and 200 public washrooms, and have been benefitting the people in the region.

Published in Daily Times, August 10^th 2018.