The Government of India would extending its cooperation and support to the Government of Lesotho in the field of rural development. A Memorandum of Understanding to the effect was signed at a function in Unnati, Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi July 28 between in the Minister of Rural Development Jairam Ramesh and Dr. Dr. Pontso ‘Matumelo Sekatle, Minister of Local Self Government and Chieftainship, Government of Lesotho.
The areas of collaboration would include among others the development of planned settlements; development and maintenance of rural access and connectivity; rural water supply & sanitation and minor-irrigation, the development of rural enterprises and small-scale industries; the use of new and renewable sources of energy; 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, industrial sector etc. 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.
