British Columbia to assist state in skill development - Canadian province Premier Christy Clark calls on Chief Minister

Sunday, 12/10/2014

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20141012/punjab.htm#1

Chandigarh : British Columbia in Canada will partner with Punjab and help the state in the fields of skill development, faculty exchange, food technology, processing and cold chain management, dairying and milk processing. The two states will also go in for cultural exchange to further boost socio-economic ties.

The decision was taken during a meeting between British Columbia Premier Christy Clark and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal here today.

During the meeting, Clark said Punjabis shared cordial ties with Canada, besides contributing enormously in its overall development and prosperity. She asked her state’s Minister of Advanced Education Amrik Virk, who accompanied her in the meeting, to tie up with Education Minister Daljeet Singh Cheema to work out modalities for teacher and student exchange programmes during summer vacations.

She also asked her minister for initiating a faculty exchange programme under which the staff from British Columbia University would visit Punjab universities, especially in the fields of pharmacology, generic medicines and bio-energy. Responding positively to the proposals put forth by Badal to collaborate in the area of food technology, processing and cold chain, dairying and milk processing, the Premier apprised him that they had a trade centre at Chandigarh where the state government could submit these proposals for their active consideration and follow-up.

She evinced interest in the exchange of cultural troupes of eminent musicians and folk singers from Punjab to participate in the annual Vancouver Punjabi Mela. The Chief Minister emphasised the need to put a mechanism in place to follow up these decisions to ensure their prompt implementation. He suggested that a high-level group headed by the state Chief Secretary be constituted to take these and any other issue forward. He also impressed upon the Premier to set up their ventures in the upcoming Medi City and Edu City at New Chandigarh.

Badal also sought her intervention and cooperation for relaxing visa norms, especially for skilled and technical persons, to further strengthen ties between Punjab and British Columbia on one hand and boost economic development of the Canadian state through skilled manpower on the other. He also demanded mutual recognition of educational qualifications and skill certification between Punjab and British Columbia. He impressed upon the Premier for setting up skill development centres in Punjab to cater to their mutual needs.

Clark also called on Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and offered to be partner with Punjab in business and commerce activities, besides sharing latest techno expertise in agro and energy fields.