LAHORE: Punjab Intermediate Cities Improvement Investment Programme (PICIIP) is an important initiative for the composite development of Sialkot, Sahiwal, Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalpur, Sargodha and Muzaffargarh districts.
This was stated by Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Urban Development Principal Specialist Kiyoshi Nakamitsu after the five-day visit of bank’s loan inception mission to Lahore and Sialkot, here today.
The city agreement was also signed between the provincial local government department and district governments of Sahiwal and Sialkot to further expedite the implementation of PICIIP for developing sustainable urban infrastructure in the first phase. It will complement the ongoing efforts to achieve sustainable development goals in intermediate cities, he added.
PICIIP aims to support municipal corporations of intermediate cities to develop a sustainable, resilient and equitable city. It will also strengthen business processes and economic activities besides financing sub-projects to provide efficient and sustainable urban infrastructures through transport, solid waste, wastewater and drainage solutions, said PICIIP Programme Director Kaiser Saleem on the occasion.
The PICIIP is consistent with Punjab Chief Minister’s Vision-2020 for the urban sector that aims to create world-class infrastructure and services to support modern urban centres. The assistance of ADB is a welcome development for intermediate cities and it will greatly contribute to improving the quality of life of its residents, he further said.
ADB mission was comprised of Urban Development Principal Specialist Kiyoshi Nakamitsu, Urban Climate Change Consultant Oyeshadevie SI Thakerodin, Associate Project Analyst Charles Felix Simbillo and Shaukat Shafi.
