British Deputy High Commissioner David lelliott on Wednesday met Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal and Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda here separately and discussed various issues of mutual interest.
In his meeting with Badal, lelliott evinced keen interest in setting up joint ventures in Education, Skill development training, Retail, Transport and agro-sector activities.
He informed the Punjab Chief Minister that various universities in the United Kingdom had signed several MoUs with IIT Ropar for partnership in research works and teaching programme and now they were looking to initiate skill development training program for generating skilled work force for the various trades. He also informed that British Council would initiate joint venture with two Community Colleges of the state at Jalandhar and Bathinda.
Badal desired for a serious and meaningful cooperation with UK, especially in Education and Skill development training. He apprised the British Deputy High Commissioner that their Government had launched a health care program 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 which would be a great service towards the people inflicted with cancer. To address the issues related 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 program in this regard. On the other hand, in his meeting with Hooda, the UK Deputy High Commissioner evinced keen interest in mutual cooperation with Haryana in the field of education, innovation and skill development.
Stressing the need for innovation, Hooda said that the British Government should set up Centres of excellence in the areas of skill development and innovation as there are ample opportunities for research and employment in these areas.
On this, lelliott said that Haryana is a favorite destination of foreign countries to invest and he assured Hooda that he would take up this matter with the authorities back in his country.
Chief Secretary, P.K. Chaudhery, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Chhatar Singh, Principal OSD to Chief Minister, M.S. Chopra and Managing Director, Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation, Tarun Bajaj were also present in the meeting.