Australia has agreed to provide its expertise to help the Amarinder Singh government's efforts to eradicate cancer by identifying the root cause of the disease in southern Punjab.
Australian High Commissioner to India Harinder Sidhu on Thursday met Amarinder and also extended cooperation in the field of education, sports, skill training, agriculture and animal husbandry.
The two parties discussed a host of issues of mutual interest for collaboration and bilateral cooperation, an official spokesperson said after the meeting.
The Chief Minister sought Australia's help in identifying the reasons for the poor quality of underground water, especially in southern Punjab, where cancer has spread rapidly in districts — Muktsar, Bathinda, Sangrur, Moga, Faridkot, Fazilka and Ferozepur.
The high commissioner, who has Punjabi roots as her ancestors hailed from Dharamkot village in Moga, expressed concern over the situation and offered all possible help from Australia to wipe out the menace from the state.
Sidhu also offered to help the state in exploring possibilities to develop new varieties of vegetables and fruits to supplement the income of farmers, besides giving technical know-how for "embryo transfer" to improve cattle breeding.
The chief minister, while apprising Sidhu about his deliberations with leading industry captains since taking over the state's reins, said he looks forward to having similar industrial collaborations and technical tie-ups with the Australian government in order to put Punjab on the fast track of development.
The high commissioner said Autralia is interested in inking a an MoU with the National Institute of Sports in Patiala.
Sidhu said Punjabis were contributing immensely to the development and growth of the Australian economy with their enterprising and indomitable spirit, and she looked forward to scaling up the country's ties with Punjab across areas of mutual interest.
