Islamabad: World Bank Regional Director for Sustainable Development John A. Rome said on Wednesday that the bank will provide $1.3 billion in financial assistance to Pakistan for emergency, agriculture and housing relief.
According to an official statement, Regional Director WB said this during a meeting with Minister for National Food Security and Research Tariq Basheer and informed him about the board meeting to be held in December.
He said that the bank will also provide financial assistance to the farmers affected by the floods and rains of Pakistan by providing urea on a subsidized basis.
Speaking on the occasion, Tariq Bashir Cheema said that due to floods and rains, the farming community has suffered a lot and the government is trying to provide relief and assistance to the poor farmers for their rehabilitation.
Appreciating the World Bank’s assistance for flood relief and rehabilitation of affected farmers, he said the natural calamity was unexpected and the affected farmers needed help to recover and return to normalcy.
Tariq Basheer called for increased coordination between the federal government, provincial governments, the World Bank and other stakeholders to provide emergency aid and assistance to the needy to restore agriculture in flood-affected areas in the country.
The Minister assured full support of the Ministry for World Bank projects and initiatives in Pakistan and said that the relief and assistance to the farming community would help in achieving food security.
Additional Secretary Ministry of Food Security and Research Mohammad Asif said that the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) database can help identify farmers for targeted subsidies.
Moreover, the National Flood Response Coordination Center (NFRCC) has developed a digital application that can help in communicating to farmers.
Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Sardar Ayaz Sadiq lauded the World Bank’s decades-long assistance, which he said has been and will continue to play an important role in Pakistan’s socio-economic development.
The minister was speaking to John A. Rome and WB Country Director Naji Benhesen who met with him.
Ayaz Sadiq lauded the World Bank for being one of the major development partners that provided substantial financial assistance of $31.1 billion to Pakistan since the 1950s.
He also thanked the World Bank for providing flood relief to Pakistan.
“We are well supported by the World Bank team,” the minister said and highlighted that the Bank’s interventions cover all major sectors of the economy including infrastructure, agriculture, rural and urban development, human capital, Covers social service as well as economic development.
The Minister said that the Ministry of Economic Affairs has now changed its role from a mere facilitator in signing agreements to a more efficient way to monitor projects and ensure utilization of funds.
He informed the WB official that the Ministry is monitoring the projects through regular meetings of the National Coordinating Committee for Foreign Funded Projects and the Steering Committee for Coordinating International Assistance for Flood Relief Activities.
On this occasion, Regional Director Rome appreciated the facilitating and active role of the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
They discussed WB’s pipeline projects to support post-flood rehabilitation and reconstruction activities, particularly in Sindh and Balochistan provinces, and the implementation of these projects through effective coordination with provinces. Highlighted the need to move forward.
