ISLAMABAD, Nov 6: The Japanese government has decided to provide about Rs30 million to three Pakistani non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to improve health, and water and sanitation facilities in rural areas of the country.

Agreements for the three projects were signed here on Wednesday by Japanese Ambassador Hiroshi Inomata and representatives of the Basic Development Needs, Beer Development Society and Women’s Union Missionary Society, the NGOs.

The grant to the Beer Development Society will be used for pavement of streets and installation of water filtration plants in six villages of Haripur district.

The grant to the Basic Development Needs will be spent on the construction of two mother and child health centres in Nowshera district.

The grant to the Women’s Union Missionary Society will be utilised for providing medical equipment to a rural health centre in Muzaffargarh district.

Ambassador Inomata said that Japan’s development assistance programme to Pakistan focused on the improvement of health services and sanitation in rural areas.

He expressed the hope that the interventions would improve quality of life in the target areas and further improve the relations between the people of Japan and Pakistan.