ISLAMABAD: The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors on Tuesday approved $1.692 billion in financing for five projects in flood-hit Sindh province, the global lender announced in a statement.
Three of the five projects support rehabilitation and reconstruction of housing and restoration of crop production for vulnerable communities. Two of the three projects are worth $500 million and the other is $292 million.
While the other two projects support health services for mothers and children. Both projects are worth $200 million.
“Sindh was the worst affected province by the 2022 floods. Housing, health and agriculture sectors were severely damaged and people lost their livelihoods. Apart from rehabilitation and reconstruction of damaged houses and infrastructure, Our engagement in flood relief efforts is an opportunity to strengthen resilience and reform institutions and governance structures,” said Naji Benhasin, World Bank Country Director for Pakistan.
The $500 million “Sindh Flood Emergency Rehabilitation Project” will focus on providing short-term employment opportunities and strengthening the provincial government’s capacity to deal with disasters.
“The project will support the rehabilitation and improvement of critical irrigation and flood protection infrastructure, water supply schemes, roads and related infrastructure,” the global lender said in a statement. It predicts that nearly two million people, 50% of whom are women, will benefit from critical infrastructure rehabilitation and resilient reconstruction.
The community-level cash-for-work program will provide short-term income support to approximately 100,000 households.
On the other hand, the $500 million “Indus Floods Emergency Housing Reconstruction Project” will support owner-driven and multi-hazard resilient reconstruction of basic housing units.
Meanwhile, $292 million approved for the “Indus Water and Agriculture Transformation Project” will increase agricultural water productivity, improve integrated water resource management, and restore crop production for flood-affected farmers. will
“The project is expected to benefit over 885,000 households (about 4.4 million people). As an immediate response to the floods, the project will provide cash transfers to 800,000 flood-affected farming households to purchase seeds, fertilizers and Helped restore crop production through procurement of other key inputs,” said WB.
The lender also approved $200 million for the “Strengthening Sindh Social Protection Delivery System Project,” which will strengthen the provincial social protection delivery system and improve access to and use of maternal and child health services. will increase.
An additional $200 million was also approved for the “Sindh Integrated Health and Population Project” to improve both the quality and utilization of basic reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health and nutrition services.
“It will also help in the rehabilitation and reconstruction of health infrastructure that was damaged in the floods, which disrupts the delivery of these services. The lender said the project will be implemented in selected government areas in remote and peri-urban areas. The dispensaries will improve access to quality health services for the population, especially women, girls and children, and flood-affected settlements in Sindh.
