ISLAMABAD, Nov 4 The Japanese government will provide grant financial support of Rs7.23 million for the supply of safe drinking water to the residents of Skardu.

Under the “Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects” of the Japanese government, Grace Association Pakistan, known as 'Grace' will receive the funds for the supply of safe drinking water to the residents of Skardu through the provision of water supply system in villages Astana-Bala, Astana-Paeen, Gultri Colony and Brolumo Colony around four kilometres from Skardu city on the Airport Road.

The agreement for the project was signed on Wednesday at the Japanese ambassador's residence in Islamabad. Ambassador Chihiro Atsumi and the Chief Executive Officer of Grace, Wazir Shamshad Hussain, signed the agreement on behalf of their respective sides, a press release of the embassy said.

The grant will be utilised for providing clean water to the residents as well as the refugees living in the four villages of this arid region. The residents of the area have to spend five to six hours to fetch water from the existing sources.

The proposed water supply scheme will also be extended to a primary school established under the Japanese grant assistance in 2008. It would improve the living and sanitary conditions of around 1300 households in the villages.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Japanese ambassador said that water and sanitation sector was one of the priority areas in the Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA).

He expressed the hope that the project would help improve the fundamental living standard of the people in Astana villages of Skardu, and emphasised that the project would contribute to further strengthening of the friendly relations between Japan and Pakistan.