ISLAMABAD, Sept 28: The Punjab government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Thursday signed a Rs530.4 million cost-sharing agreement to alleviate poverty in the province.

The ceremony was held at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat attended by the UNDP Resident Representative Jan J Vendemoortele and Punjab Chief Minister Ch Pervaiz Elahi.

The provincial government is sharing the cost of the project to help its people come out of poverty under the “Community Development Project for Rehabilitation of Salt Affected and Water Logged Lands” over a period of four years. The UNDP is contributing Rs65.15 million to the project.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Elahi said that the provincial government was looking forward to similar partnerships for upgrading the life standard of people in various sectors.

He said poverty in the salt and saline affected areas of Hafizabad, Jhang and Sargodha would be alleviated through the project besides providing job opportunities to the people of the respective areas.—A Reporter