Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation inks MoU with Pakistan to support Ehsas programme
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Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the government to support its Ehsas initiative on poverty alleviation, under which it will provide Pakistan an amount of 200 million dollars.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by both parties in a meeting held in New York.
Prime Minister Imran Khan and Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (B&MGF), witnessed the signing ceremony as Special Assistant to PM on Poverty Alleviation Dr Sania Nishtar and President of Global Development at B&MGF Dr Chris Elias inked the MoU in New York late Wednesday, on the sidelines of 74th session of UN General Assembly, reported APP.
The new collaboration takes forward B&MGF's more than a decade-long work in Pakistan, which has revolved around a range of development priorities including polio eradication, financial inclusion, routine immunisation and maternal, neo-natal and child health.
"The foundation plans to spend about $200 million in Pakistan in 2020," a press release issued by B&MGF said.
According to the agreement, the amount will be spent on 134 poverty alleviation projects, said Radio Pakistan.
Prime Minister Imran Khan said Ehsaas was the biggest anti-poverty project [in Pakistan] and has been planned with great attention to detail. "I’m pleased that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will assist with a range of activities," the premier was quoted as saying.
He said poverty alleviation has been the top priority of his government from day one, reported Radio Pakistan.
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Comments (63) Closed
Sep 26, 2019 03:49pm
Is the money a credit or free?
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Sep 26, 2019 03:59pm
Ultimately he get some money in his long visits.
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Sep 26, 2019 04:04pm
So finally IKs trip was successful.
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Sep 26, 2019 04:07pm
Poverty alleviation won’t work without population reduction or at least population freeze. Otherwise we will always be trying to catch the bus.
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Sep 26, 2019 04:27pm
Note - MOU is not agreement dont sue him later
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Sep 26, 2019 04:34pm
If this was during the Sharif or Zardari era they would have pocketed $150m and only given $50 million to the programme.
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Sep 26, 2019 04:40pm
MoU again? Where is the real money?
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Sep 26, 2019 04:44pm
Just imagine how many more hundreds or even thousands of millions Pakistan can have for poverty alleviation by bringing down its defense spending to normal levels.
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Sep 26, 2019 04:44pm
Loans, Aid and MoUs.
How about some business, exports, investment?
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Sep 26, 2019 04:53pm
Every Government has its own set of agenda, which mainly aims at strengthening their governance with the opportunity of returning to power for more than one time. At the time of PPP, the then Govt. initiated Benazir Income Support Program with the mandate of alleviating poverty in the country and now, this Govt. of PTI has launched a similar flagship program of EHSAS with the same objective of reducing poverty in the country. But the facts speak otherwise, and no program or effort has every achieved in decreasing poverty and rather it has brought more people under the banner of poverty. These faulty policies, which are prepared for the benefit of ruling class, will not yield any positive result unless the government initiates programs and policies on merit and without any political considerations.
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Sep 26, 2019 04:53pm
Hope it reaches the people who need it. Not in the wrong pockets.
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Sep 26, 2019 04:57pm
Good work by Bill and Melinda foundation. Honoring PM Modi and providing grants to Pakistan. Bill Gates knows what to give and to whom.
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Sep 26, 2019 05:16pm
Pakistan image getting better because of Imran Khan. Good development
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Sep 26, 2019 05:18pm
IK is the best leader in the world.
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Sep 26, 2019 05:32pm
That is very nice on the part of Millinda Gate foundation to give us US$ 200 for EIHSAS program. My only apprehension is to utilize this money in best possible manner for which it has been given. I don't want to cut sorry figure in front of donor if any part of this money misused. Millinda Gate foundation has fool proof auditing system to check utilization of its donated funds.
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Sep 26, 2019 05:36pm
Great victory for Pakistan..
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Sep 26, 2019 05:36pm
Pakistan should deny the same as same foundation has honoured Modi quite recently. In protest, 2-3 guys have disassociated themselves from this foundation as I hear
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Sep 26, 2019 05:41pm
Thank you Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
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Sep 26, 2019 05:41pm
Congrats!
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Sep 26, 2019 05:43pm
GREAT, Looks like Pakistan heading in the right direction.
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Sep 26, 2019 05:48pm
A man who has built a excellent hospital for Cancer and general patient, built excellent university with so many different departments and many foreign language departments, shelter homes for the poor workers and homeless people, ex FATA area funding in such difficult economy which he got from grand looters and much more I have no words of how much good he and and his fellow upcoming PTI leaders will do. Great job! And many thanks to MG foundations for helping the poor of humanity. Thank you Honorable Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan indeed champion heart human being. I'm so proud to have voted for you, even though I knew due to mega corruption you will not win from Interior Sindh, but I'm so happy for my fellow Sindh people from Karachi who gave us much home making PTI biggest party in Karachi our largest city in Sindh and thank you to Pakistan in KPK who along with Punjab and Baluchistan made us the biggest party in Pakistan and broke the two party corruption den. Pak Zdb!
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Sep 26, 2019 05:48pm
Imran Khan and Bill Gates both deserve congratulations for signing this Memorandum of Understanding.
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Sep 26, 2019 06:00pm
Very positive news. Now we will see how Ehsas program helps our neediest and how well it is being managed!
We have great hopes from our PM Imran Khan to reshape our thinking processes and mentalities by enforcing honesty, integrity and hard working ethic.
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Sep 26, 2019 06:16pm
only IK's honest perception is the greatest gift to Pakistan.World donors is recognizing him as a corruption less figure in Pakistan and ready to help him.
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Sep 26, 2019 06:20pm
I have no doubt in my mind that in due course of time IK will change Pak for good. I hope the armed forces and above all the people stand shoulder to shoulder with him.
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Sep 26, 2019 06:25pm
Whats about those funds Michelle Obama gave to Sharif family for alleviating illiteracy ??
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Sep 26, 2019 06:36pm
IK has already proven his metal and far reaching initiatives, that neither NS nor Zardari had the vision or the guts to introduce.
Both NS and Zardari made numerous visits to London, Dubai or KSA, and never reached beyond these haunts, except for their own personal benefits.
Why didn't either of them made any contacts with an organization like Gates Foundation? Because Bill Gates is no fool. He wouldn't have handed any cash to either of them, because half of it would've ended up in their overseas bank accounts.
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Sep 26, 2019 06:38pm
@Being Indian, Yes and Modi as well... more than 50% of Indian nation given polio drops by this foundation...
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Sep 26, 2019 06:39pm
Good.
Thanks Bill and Melinda foundation!
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Sep 26, 2019 06:45pm
@Dev Mehta, If provided to bharit it would be enough to build toilets for half the population.
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Sep 26, 2019 06:47pm
They, the Gates Foundation, are well known for monitoring use of their funds for the given purpose very closely. To get the full 200 and more in future, all 134 projects will need to be handled efficiently and honestly from day one.
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Sep 26, 2019 06:57pm
@A shah, sorry but India failed at business as well..terrorist Modi wasn't given any business deals from US this time...better luck next time
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Sep 26, 2019 07:05pm
Give time to Imran khan. He will do better.Don't put pressure on him. He is good prime minister. congrats. Love from India
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Sep 26, 2019 07:17pm
They should have invited Microsoft to set up development centres in Pakistan. Give them tax free incentives. And get them to work with universities in Pakistan.
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Sep 26, 2019 07:17pm
@Money, IK will not take even a single penny for his personal use.
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Sep 26, 2019 07:18pm
@ROCKY, this is a first step
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Sep 26, 2019 07:20pm
@Dev Mehta, How about Indian poor dying of hunger in millions and Modi is sending aircraft to moon. Give advice to him not to Pakistan.
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Sep 26, 2019 07:22pm
@Hamed Quraishi , You don't need to worry that much.
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Sep 26, 2019 07:24pm
@Being Indian, well, its all depends what is your perspective. Its not a win/loss game. Its all about piece in the region
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Sep 26, 2019 07:31pm
better chance this time that the money will spend on poor.
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Sep 26, 2019 07:39pm
Modi won't like this.
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Sep 26, 2019 07:42pm
Honoring a PM Modi.and giving a grant as MoU is two different ways.
Here one PM is honored.
While other PM has signed MoU.
MoU is not a free gift to Pakistan, in return Pakistan has to give some return back to the foundation.
As no country in the world gives freebies to any other country, there is always a purpose behind it.
Time will tell how Pakistan will use this money and how the foundation will take its steps ahead in future.
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Sep 26, 2019 08:11pm
Pakistan needs to stop getting aids and grants. This is really shameful. Poverty alleviation can only happen if pakistan can provide vocational and elementary education to people on its own dime. Grants and aids normally have lot of potholes.
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Sep 26, 2019 08:15pm
congratulations are in order.
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Sep 26, 2019 08:28pm
No investment plan? Just said?
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Sep 26, 2019 08:33pm
@Hamed Quraishi , Help from Foundations are not loans. Don't call them free because there are obligations by recipients to be fulfilled including accountability and honest commitment. Thank you, Bill Gates and your Foundation but Pakistanis must not forget that Poverty alleviation is everyone's duty and responsibility.
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Sep 26, 2019 08:36pm
This is good. Human development should be a priority.
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Sep 26, 2019 08:55pm
Good luck Mr. Gates
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Sep 26, 2019 09:19pm
This is good for Pakistan. I have first hand experience of working with MG foundation projects. They are honest, professional and sincere about their efforts.
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Sep 26, 2019 09:22pm
MOU everywhere
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Sep 26, 2019 09:35pm
Pakistan is finally being represented by an educated responsible and honest leader, unlike the ones before who didn't a clue to what to say without being handed over with scripts.
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Sep 26, 2019 09:59pm
So entire 2020 budget allocation for Ehsaas programme has been arranged. Thanks Bill and Melinda.
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Sep 26, 2019 10:51pm
Helping fellow human beings is a good investment.
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Sep 26, 2019 11:24pm
Absolutely fantastic, this mans dream of a better Pakistan is coming foward
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Sep 27, 2019 12:05am
@Intelligent Nawab, What is the guarantee that this money will not be swindled now??
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Sep 27, 2019 12:15am
Good news for me as a Pakistani is that Bill Gates has trust in our prime minister.
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Sep 27, 2019 12:47am
@Mansur Ul Haque, The money will be spent directly on the projects. Also, IK is watching from the top.
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Sep 27, 2019 01:06am
Something tangible coming out of his visit
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Sep 27, 2019 01:11am
Poverty will still remain as ever when the whole system is corrupt.
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Sep 27, 2019 01:54am
Only $200 million?
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Sep 27, 2019 02:46am
Well done U.S. based famous and historic Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Keep it up and hang on tough.
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Sep 27, 2019 03:56am
Thanks Bill Gates! money should be well spent not like money given to Zardari for polio eradication just vanished!
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Sep 27, 2019 12:46pm
@ZAK, poverty will remain as long as we "produce" children instead of products.
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