ADB Country Director Emma Fan said that investing in modern farming, quality education, and improved health services will reshape Punjab’s long-term growth and these projects will uplift millions of people through better skills, advanced systems, and stronger human capital.
Therefore, a $120 million concessional loan and a $4 million grant have been allocated for the ‘Punjab Climate-Resilient and Low-Carbon Agriculture Mechanization Project’.
The project will support 220,000 rural households, improve farming technology, and introduce low-carbon practices. It also plans to train 15,000 women and enable small farmers to access advanced machinery through a new financing model.
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ADB has also approved $107 million for a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM-focused) secondary education program in Punjab. This includes a $7 million grant and a $100 million loan.
The program will modernize secondary education, expand inclusive STEM learning, and improve access to quality schooling. The Punjab School Education Department (PSED) will implement the upgrades.
A further $150 million concessional loan has been approved for the ‘Punjab Nursing and Health Workforce Reform Program’.
Three centers of excellence will be set up in Lahore, Multan, and Rawalpindi. These centers will include modern simulation labs, digital platforms, and gender-responsive hostels, helping build a more capable health workforce for the province.
