ISLAMABAD, Dec 14: The US Agency for International Development (USAID) has a long-term commitment to assist social sector programmes in Pakistan and wants to double its aid budget to $150 million next year, USAID Administrator Andrew S. Natsios said here on Sunday.

Talking to reporters, he said the USAID programme in the country was going to stay. “We never open missions for a year or two, there will be a long-term commitment of the US government to Pakistan,” he added.

Mr Natsios also met Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, besides ministers for education and health, and discussed the USAID projects with them.

In reply to a question on the USAID budget for Pakistan, which is separate from other US assistance, he said the entire programme for the last year was $50 million.

For the current year, the budget is to the tune of $75 million, which will be doubled to $150 million next year, he said, adding that the programme was being increased substantially.

Mr Natsios, who visited Pakistan two years ago, said he was very impressed to see the progress made in the education sector in Fata. He also noted rapid increase in the number of schools in that area as well as in the NWFP.

He appreciated the government for its commitment and seriousness on promoting education.

The USAID official also observed the seriousness of the government in addressing the health-care issues in Pakistan and noted that the child mortality rate had come down.

He expressed satisfaction over the progress of social and economic reforms.

Mr Natsios said the USAID was working with the government on the devolution plan to bring more authority to the village level.

He said they would like to work with the government on governance issues.

In this regard, he said there was a programme to train the newly-elected legislators and the efforts to support the governance programme to devolve more power at the grassroots level.

In reply to another question, he said it was not the USAID’s job to comment on specific constitutional issues as these were the decisions to be made by people and the government.He said the USAID’s job was to provide technical assistance that provided alternative ways of approaching some of these issues.

Mr Natsios said overall there were four objectives of the AID programmes - promoting education, health, economic growth and governance.

He said the assistance given by USAID was the grant-money and not loan.

About specific projects, he said the AID was working on the renovation of schools in Fata and Balochistan, teacher training programme and projects to involve parents in running schools.—APP