India, Lesotho sign MoU on co-operation in rural development

New Delhi, July 28 (ANI): India today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Lesotho to extend its cooperation and support in the field of rural development.

The MoU was signed between Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh and Minister of Local Self Government and Chieftainship, Government of Lesotho, Dr Pontso'Matumelo Sekatle.

The areas of collaboration would include among others the development of planned settlements, development and maintenance of rural access and connectivity, rural water supply and sanitation and minor-irrigation, the development of rural enterprises and small-scale industries and the use of new and renewable sources of energy.

The two nations would also cooperate in the area of development of rural housing, establishment of sun-national administrative institutions, generation of wage and self-employment opportunities for the rural poor, development of rural infrastructure using wage employment programs and sector-specific human resource development.

The cooperation between the parties will be implemented through Technical assistance through consultancies, feasibility studies, exchanger study visits and fellowships by sector specialists.

India would provide technology, equipment and material industry GIS/satellite imagery along with sector-specific training through established institutions and customized schemes and medium-term courses.

In addition Institutional linkages and collaborations would be set up to establish training facilities in Lesotho.

The implementing agency on behalf of India shall be the Ministry of Rural Development (MRD-GOI) while on behalf of the Government of Lesotho, the implementing agency shall be the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftainship (MoLGC-COL).

The present MoU is in furtherance of the cooperation committee by India during the previous visit of the Prime Minister of Lesotho when it was agreed to share Indian experience in human resource development, high technology and industrial sector in the spirit of South-South Cooperation.

It is expected to strengthen the scale and scope of human resource development and institutional development of Lesotho in the field of rural development and allied sectors, an official release said. (ANI)