PESHAWAR, July 21: European Union has pledged to provide 39 million euros for education sector in Sindh province in the next National Indicator Programme (NIP), a senior representative of the commission said.

Briefing newsmen here at the Peshawar Press Club on Monday, the union charge d’ affairs in Islamabad, Emmanuel Mersch, said that EU would grant 39 million euros to improve schooling in Sindh and this “wide action” programme was under assessment.

Terming the proposed schooling programme one of the major components of the European Union activities in Pakistan, he hoped that the plan might take place in one year.

He claimed that the union was a major grant donor in Pakistan and the European Parliament was giving a lot of attention to the democratic process in the country. He said that work on next NIP had been started which would take off in 2006.

The charge d’affairs arrived in the provincial capital on a three-day visit and will inspect some projects in Kohat, Mardan and Swat districts.

Mr Mersch said that the EU was interested in political dialogue in Pakistan and the newly-evolved devolution plan was a very important aspect in the policy of Europe. “We want this devolution plan to continue,” he said.

He said that the EU in collaboration with the local partners was financing some micro projects in different parts of the NWFP and some bigger projects like Dir-Kohistan Forestry Project and Galyat conservation project were already under way in the province.

He said that a substantial amount had been involved in these projects which aimed at rehabilitation of forests, environment, promotion of agriculture and help to the local community.