The Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced on Saturday the approval of $381 million to finance three major development initiatives in Punjab, Pakistan. The funding package targets key sectors—agriculture, education, and health—aimed at boosting resilience and modernizing services across the province.
A significant portion, $124 million, is allocated to the Punjab Climate-Resilient and Low-Carbon Agriculture Mechanisation Project. This initiative will promote modern farming equipment and sustainable practices to support 220,000 rural households. Focusing on a province that produces the majority of Pakistan’s wheat, rice, and maize, the project aims to reduce grain losses and air pollution linked to outdated methods, including crop residue burning.
In education, $107 million will fund the Responsive, Ready, and Resilient STEM Secondary Education Program. Led by the Punjab School Education Department, the program seeks to modernize science and technology curricula and expand access to quality secondary education to strengthen the province’s human capital.
For healthcare, the $150 million Punjab Nursing and Health Workforce Reform Program will upgrade nursing education and training infrastructure. The project includes building three centers of excellence in Lahore, Multan, and Rawalpindi, equipped with simulation labs and digital learning tools. It aims to expand the qualified nursing workforce—predominantly women—to improve healthcare services and meet growing domestic and international demand.
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ADB Country Director for Pakistan Emma Fan stated that these projects will “modernise agriculture, enhance human capital, and significantly improve livelihoods for millions of people across Punjab,” underscoring the province’s vital role in the national economy.