LAHORE, March 21: World Bank South Asia vice-president Mieko Nishimizu on Friday assured the Punjab of full financial support provided it made rational development projects and smoothly ran the political system.

She gave the assurance during a meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi here. Ms Mieko was accompanied by other World Bank officials, including Country Director John Wal.

“The projects should be rational and based on ground realities. There should also be complete coordination among all tiers of the government and funding will be no problem,” she was quoted as having informed the chief minister.

According to officials, the World Bank senior official maintained that the bank would sign the projects if the province maintained good working relations with the federal government, districts governments and bureaucracy.

She said the bank would provide funds for the projects relating to the socio-economic improvement of the people of the province.

Ms Nishimizu asked the chief minister to give details of the projects along with practicable suggestions for their implementation so that the bank could facilitate loans as soon as possible.

Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi informed the official that a comprehensive development strategy had been formulated for rural and urban centres in the province. Mega development projects were also being launched with the financial assistance of the World Bank, he said.

He said the government intended to improve the education, irrigation, health, housing, agriculture, industries and social development sectors so as to improve the living standard of the people.

The chief minister said a comprehensive plan had been made to provide infrastructure like road network and telecommunication facilities throughout the province.

He said the Punjab education reforms programme was being launched under which missing facilities would be provided to schools like buildings, libraries, teachers, cost-free books for the primary level students, teachers training and water and power.

The chief minister said the province intended to construct 10 dams in the rain-fed Potohar region.

Chief Minister’s Adviser on New Initiative in Social Sector Jehangir Tarin gave a detailed briefing on the development planning vision of the provincial government.

He said the projects of the government were aimed at poverty reduction and would leave a positive impact on the national economy.

The Planning and Development Board chairman, and secretaries of the agriculture, health, communication and works, irrigation and education, departments also gave separate briefings.

Punjab education, health, irrigation, industries, communication and works ministers and Chief Secretary Hafeez Akhtar Randhawa also attended the meeting.