UK to support Pb in agri-diversification, skill development

British High Commissioner Dominic Asquith today pledged support and cooperation to Punjab government in the field of agriculture diversification, skill development and providing English language trainers.
An assurance in this regard was given by the visiting delegation led by Asquith during a meeting with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal here today, an official release said.
Asquith assured the chief minister that he would soon take up this matter with the British Council to include Punjab in their National Training for Trainers programme in collaboration with Ministry of Human Resources, to train nearly 3,000 teachers across the state during its three years course.

He said after this training module, if needed, another year will be exclusively devoted to further upgrade their skills in teaching English as per international standards.
There will also be English teachers' exchange programme between the United Kingdom and Punjab, the release said.
Badal also impressed upon Asquith to provide technical know-how to pig farmers to promote piggery on scientific lines for giving a major fillip to the allied farming activities, besides enhancing the income of farmers.

He apprised the British envoy that the state government had already taken an initiative to ink a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with British Pig Association (BPA) to develop and promote piggery and sought his personal intervention to get it expedited without any further delay as Punjab has a tremendous export potential of pig meat to Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

Badal told the British High Commissioner that the state government was in touch with BPA to get live pigs and frozen semen for developing high quality breeding facilities at government pig farms, which in turn would supply the best quality piglets to the local farmers.
Appreciating Punjab government's initiatives for the development of piggery, Asquith promised to provide all technical support and expertise to pig farmers to further consolidate their economic position.
The chief minister sought cooperation from Asquith to help the state to start internationally accredited vocational training/skill development programmes to equip unemployed youth to be gainfully employed across the globe, the release added.