Gates Foundation to provide $200mn to Pakistan for Ehsaas programme

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will provide Pakistan an amount of 200 million dollars for the implementation of the Ehsaas Program next year, reports Radio Pakistan. A memorandum of understanding in this regard was signed by the both parties in a meeting held in New York on Wednesday, according to the national radio service. The pledge came when Microsoft founder Bill Gates called on Prime Minister Imran Khan in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly session. Under the terms of the agreement, the amount will be spent on 134 poverty alleviation projects across the country, undertaken as part of the Ehsaas program. Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said that the Ehsaas Program was a big project in the history of Pakistan which will turn the country into a welfare state.He added that poverty alleviation was on the top priority of his government from day one.He further stressed that the program would help to achieve the sustainable development goals set under United Nations. Talking to Bill Gates, the premier also expressed his commitment for complete elimination of polio from the country.