ISLAMABAD, May 9: United Nations Development Programme will provide $40 million to the ministry of environment for different projects to preserve country’s environment.

This was stated by UNDP resident representative in Pakistan, Onder Yucer, at a meeting held on Thursday, regarding National Environmental Action Plan-Support Programme (NEAP-SP) under the aegis of the ministry.

He said the financial assistance would be given to the government over a period of four to five years and would be spent on projects agreed between the UNDP and the ministry in October 2001.

Federal Minister for Environment, local Government and Rural Development, Barrister Shahida Jamil, while presiding over the meeting said the government would move with the international environmental initiatives and we need the support of the international donor agencies for the success of NEAP-SP.

She expressed satisfaction over the financial and technical assistance being extended by the donor agencies such as UNDP, JICA, WWF and others for different projects under the NEAP-SP.

She, however, underscored the need for mass awareness campaign with pro-active approach for publicising the action plan and ensure community participation.

The director of NEAP-SP programme and additional secretary ministry of environment, Mr Ghazanfar made a presentation explaining the organizational structure of the project and provided details of six different projects.

The NEAP was aimed at improving the environmental protection approved in February 2001 in the 9th meeting of Pakistan Environmental Protection Council (PEPC) and the document was signed between the government of Pakistan and the UNDP in October 2001 making them partners in the programme.