British Deputy High Commissioner David Lelliott today called on Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal here and evinced keen interest in setting up joint ventures in education, skill development training, retail, transport and agro-sector activities.
David, who was accompanied by senior Trade and Investment Adviser to British Trade Office at Chandigarh Tanisha Thiara, offered to start collaborative ventures with the state government.
He informed the Chief Minister that various universities in United Kingdom had signed several MoUs with IIT Ropar for partnership in research works and teaching programmes and are now looking to initiate skill development training program for generating skilled work force for various trades.
He also informed that British Council would initiate joint venture with two community colleges of the state at Jalandhar and Bathinda.
The Chief Minister desired for a serious and meaningful cooperation with UK, specially in education and skill development training.
Badal apprised the British Deputy High Commissioner that the state government had launched a healthcare programme to combat cancer by establishing a network of well-equipped cancer treatment hospitals in the state and asked the UK government to provide technical support in this regard.
He impressed upon David to plan teacher exchange programmes under which the state government would make arrangements for boarding and lodging of interested retired teachers from UK to visit Punjab to assist teachers here.
To address the issues related to IT, Badal also accepted the offer to initiate joint efforts to redress the issues related to IT sector and cyber crime.
He directed the police and IT departments to work out a meaningful action programme in this regard.
