PRCS, NDRMF mull new projects

The Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) launched a three-day training here on Monday in connection with the Vulnerability to Resilience (V2R) project initiated in four districts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

PRCS Secretary General Khalid bin Majeed and National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF) General Manager Khurram Khaliq Khan were special guests at the ceremony. Over 50 people including PRCS and NDRMF officials, Adviser V2R Shahid Kazmi, and project staff members from all four targeted districts as participated in the session.

Speaking on the occasion, Khalid said, the Rs. 228 million V2R project involves construction of flood protection walls, water conservation structures and landslide stabilization schemes in Bagh, Hattian, Neelum and Sudhnoti districts, which will not only protect vulnerable populations against natural disasters but also help build resilience among them to cope with such emergencies in future. He said, PRCS is in talks with NDRMF for Phase II of the V2R project as well as separate projects in Tribal Districts (erstwhile FATA) and southern Punjab.

Khalid urged the participants of the training to gain maximum knowledge of technical aspects of the project during the three-day activity in order to improve productivity and ensure quality and compliance in implementation of the project.

Khurram Khaliq Khan appreciated the services being rendered by PRCS and offered NDRMF’s all-out support in execution of the V2R project. He said, NDRMF wants to enter into a long-term multifaceted partnership with the PRCS vis-à-vis implementation of projects in different parts of the country.

The objective of the sector-wise technical training is to provide department-wise, subject-wise, skill-wise, in-house and on-the-job knowledge to participants in order to improve productivity and impart them skills to do specific jobs in a professional manner.