In another example of the close relationship between Singapore and India, the former has agreed to offer technical support to the Jammu and Kashmir government in three key areas of skill building, riverfront development and water management.
This was revealed by Haseeb Drabu, Finance Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, who returned to the country from a three-day official tour of Singapore.
The development assumes significance as the Indian High Commission is organising a two-day regional Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) in Singapore to commemorate 25 years of partnership between India and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) on January 6 and 7, 2018.
The Finance Minister said, “We held extensive deliberations with the Ministers, government officials and experts in Singapore on how best the expertise of that country could be utilized for capacity building in some critical areas in the state.”
He added, “Three key areas identified for collaboration include Skill Development, Riverfront Development and Water Management for which the Singapore government will be extending technical expertise.”
Drabu said a Memorandum of Understanding would be signed between the concerned authorities in Singapore and the state to kick off the collaborative mechanism in the identified areas.
He said the Singapore government has already established a Skill Development Centre in Assam and has also signed an MoU with Odisha.
“A similar collaboration between Jammu and Kashmir government and Singapore will certainly step up the quality of our skilled youth,” Drabu said and added that as State government is in the process of developing human and social capital for enhancing the capabilities of its youth this partnership will go a long way in fulfilling this objective.
Talking about the strides made by Singapore in riverfront development and water management under the country's Waterfront Rejuvenation programme, the Minister said, “Replication of such a programme could help Jammu and Kashmir in speedy restoration and revival of its waterfronts.”
“Singapore has a separate Master Plan for Water-based Activities in the country and a similar concept could be implemented in Jammu and Kashmir for rejuvenation of waterways and water resources,” he said.