Spanish Ambassador to India Gustavo De Aristegui today offered to forge collaboration with the Punjab government in the field of water treatment technology, agro and food processing, bio-waste management and renewable energy.The envoy, who called on the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal here at CMO this morning, evinced keen interest to seek partnership with the state government on the key areas of strategic development through sharing latest technological advancements and expertise especially in the water treatment and renewable energy where Spain had a proven track record of undisputed world over leadership.
Taking part in the deliberations, Mr. Aristegui informed the Chef Minister that he would lead a high powered delegation of leading players in these fields to have detailed discussions with the top brass of the state government in order to materialize the proposals of mutual interests. He also said that Spain could also help the Punjab government in providing hi-end technology to manage the problem of solid waste adding the visiting ambassador said that the Municipalities in two Spanish towns of Barcelona and Madrid were having the state-of-art mechanism of solid waste management, which could also be replicated in the major towns of the state. Likewise, Mr. Aristegui also offered to render expertise in food technology and agro processing sector to ensure remunerative returns to the farmers’ for their produce after its value addition.The Spanish Ambassador was apprised in the meeting that the Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal would lead a delegation to Barcelona for attending smart city expo 2014 later this month. Meanwhile, Mr. Aristegui said that he would be eager to welcome them and would also arrange meetings with the renowned industrialists and entrepreneurs in these fields to further crystallize these proposals which came up for today’s discussions into action.
Responding to the proposals put forth by Mr. Aristegui, the Chief Minister urged the former to work out an inbuilt mechanism between Spain and Punjab so that these discussions should not merely limit to the meetings rather these should be implemented in the right earnest. He deputed his Principal Secretary Mr. SK Sandhu to chalk out the details of the meetings to be held with the visiting delegation of the industrialists from Spain to be headed by Mr. Aristegui in the mid of December. Mr. Badal also asked the Chief Executive Officer of Industrial Promotion Bureau to tie up and pursue with the interested companies/ concerns to set up their ventures in Punjab as a follow up to the proposed meeting. The Chief Minister also sought time tested and economically viable technology for the cleaning of village Ponds, which were posing a major health and environment hazard besides recycling of stagnated water for irrigation and domestic use.
Prominent amongst other present in the meeting included Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. SK Sandhu, Secretary Housing and Urban Development Mr. A Venuprasad and Special Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. Ajoy Kumar Sharma.