QUETTA, Oct 8: The Government of Japan has provided $10.2 million as financial assistance for 204 ongoing projects in social development sector under Grassroots Grant Assistance Programme (GRA) in different areas of Pakistan.

This financial assistance also include around Rs10 million for Balochistan which would be spent on three projects in agriculture, health services and education sectors through three non-profit organizations.

This was stated by Japanese Ambassador to Pakistan, Mr Minoru Shibuya while speaking at a contract singing ceremony here with three non- profit organizations of Balochistan under Japanese Government’s GRA Programme at the office of honorary Consul General of Japan.

The projects were signed with Khushhali Associates, Sibi, School of Medical Technology, Quetta and Qandeel Model Public School, Quetta. Chaudary Zulfiqar, Dr Naimatullah Gichki and Mrs Shafiq Qazi signed the contracts on behalf of their respective organizations.

He said that this is the first GRA signing ceremony for the current fiscal year, and that further assistance would also be extended to more projects in near future.

GRA scheme of assistance is designed to provide flexible and timely support to small scale development projects for improving the social well- being of people at grassroots level, he said and added that provision of basic necessities such as better health and medical care, sanitation, clean drinking water and education are main targets of this programme.

“We have indeed come a long way since we started GRA programme for Pakistan in 1989 when a modest sum of $89,000 was extended to two projects. There are a total of 204 projects, including the ones signed today, that have so far received assistance of about $10.2m,” he said.