Sindh CM discusses $1.9b WB-assisted projects with WB delegation
WB is funding a project to improve functioning and service delivery of Karachi's local bodies
SIndh CM Murad Ali Shah. PHOTO: APP
KARACHI:
A delegation of the World Bank (WB), led by its country director, Patchamuthu Illangovan, met Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Monday to discuss ongoing projects worth $1.9 billion and future projects in the pipeline.
The meeting was held at the Chief Minister House and was attended by Local Government Minister Nasir Hussain Shah, Labour Minister Saeed Ghani, Adviser to CM Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, Planning and Development Chairperson Nahid Shah, Karachi Water and Sewerage Board MD Asadullah Khan and other relevant officers. The World Bank delegation comprised operations manager Melinda Good, program leader Lixin Gu and senior operations officer Amena Raja.
CLICK
The Competitive and Livable City of Karachi (CLICK) is a Rs33.6 billion ($240 million) WB-assisted project in which the Sindh government has committed to share $10 million.
Sindh CM orders local bodies to drain out standing water within 48 hours
The project is aimed at improving the performance of Karachi's local bodies and agencies involved in urban management, financing and service delivery programmes and improving the business environment for private sector development in the city.
The proposed project will support four major components to be executed under the supervision of local government, excise and taxation and Sindh's investment departments. Under the project, local bodies would be given performance-based grants. The urban property tax system would be improved, while technical assistance would be given to the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board.
The chief minister told the WB delegation that the project has been cleared in the Central Development Working Party and by the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC). Now, it can be started with the approval of the World Bank. The World Bank director said that he would issue its clearance letter within a month.
KWSSIP
The Karachi Water and Sewerage Services Improvement Project (KWSSIP) Phase-I is a Rs14.72 billion project in which the WB would give 40 per cent or $42.084 million as assistance while the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank would also give 40 per cent as soft loan. The provincial government would bear Rs2.945 billion or 20 per cent of the total cost of the project. The project would be completed in five years.
The KWSSIP aims at addressing the challenges of the city's water supply by designing and delivering institutional governance reforms in the KWSB to improve services and reduce the trust deficit between the citizens and the organisation, undertaking long-term strategic infrastructure investments to deliver improved services and funding key preparatory studies.
The project is part of a multi-phased approach programme, costing $1.6 billion, which will be implemented in four phases in 12 years, having both components of reforms and investments aimed at providing relief to the entire population of the city.
The P&D chairperson informed the meeting that the project has been approved by the ECNEC on August 29, 2019.
Education
The Chief Minister discussed the Sindh Human Capital Investment project with the WB country chief. The CM said that he had proposed reforms to improve the education standards and attain the maximum level of targets. These include transportation facilities for girls, consolidation and upgradation of girls' primary schools to elementary schools, provision of missing facilities in girls' schools, lady teachers' capacity building and bringing back out-of-school children.
200mm rain was bound to create problems: CM Murad
The WB country director assured the chief minister of his financial support and urged him to submit the working paper of the project.
Sindh rural economy
The meeting also discussed the Sindh Agricultural Growth project worth $67 million, Sindh Integrated Agriculture Productivity Enhancement worth $283 million, water sector improvement project of $283 million, Sindh Barrage Improvement Project of $324 million and Sindh Resilience Project of $11 million. These projects are in progress and the chief minister urged the WB to reallocate Flood Shelter funds for the rehabilitation of flood-affected people.
The chief minister also discussed the Yellow Line project and the World Bank country chief told the chief minister to appoint the project director of the project so that it could be taken up.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 3rd, 2019.
A delegation of the World Bank (WB), led by its country director, Patchamuthu Illangovan, met Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Monday to discuss ongoing projects worth $1.9 billion and future projects in the pipeline.
The meeting was held at the Chief Minister House and was attended by Local Government Minister Nasir Hussain Shah, Labour Minister Saeed Ghani, Adviser to CM Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, Planning and Development Chairperson Nahid Shah, Karachi Water and Sewerage Board MD Asadullah Khan and other relevant officers. The World Bank delegation comprised operations manager Melinda Good, program leader Lixin Gu and senior operations officer Amena Raja.
CLICK
The Competitive and Livable City of Karachi (CLICK) is a Rs33.6 billion ($240 million) WB-assisted project in which the Sindh government has committed to share $10 million.
Sindh CM orders local bodies to drain out standing water within 48 hours
The project is aimed at improving the performance of Karachi's local bodies and agencies involved in urban management, financing and service delivery programmes and improving the business environment for private sector development in the city.
The proposed project will support four major components to be executed under the supervision of local government, excise and taxation and Sindh's investment departments. Under the project, local bodies would be given performance-based grants. The urban property tax system would be improved, while technical assistance would be given to the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board.
The chief minister told the WB delegation that the project has been cleared in the Central Development Working Party and by the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC). Now, it can be started with the approval of the World Bank. The World Bank director said that he would issue its clearance letter within a month.
KWSSIP
The Karachi Water and Sewerage Services Improvement Project (KWSSIP) Phase-I is a Rs14.72 billion project in which the WB would give 40 per cent or $42.084 million as assistance while the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank would also give 40 per cent as soft loan. The provincial government would bear Rs2.945 billion or 20 per cent of the total cost of the project. The project would be completed in five years.
The KWSSIP aims at addressing the challenges of the city's water supply by designing and delivering institutional governance reforms in the KWSB to improve services and reduce the trust deficit between the citizens and the organisation, undertaking long-term strategic infrastructure investments to deliver improved services and funding key preparatory studies.
The project is part of a multi-phased approach programme, costing $1.6 billion, which will be implemented in four phases in 12 years, having both components of reforms and investments aimed at providing relief to the entire population of the city.
The P&D chairperson informed the meeting that the project has been approved by the ECNEC on August 29, 2019.
Education
The Chief Minister discussed the Sindh Human Capital Investment project with the WB country chief. The CM said that he had proposed reforms to improve the education standards and attain the maximum level of targets. These include transportation facilities for girls, consolidation and upgradation of girls' primary schools to elementary schools, provision of missing facilities in girls' schools, lady teachers' capacity building and bringing back out-of-school children.
200mm rain was bound to create problems: CM Murad
The WB country director assured the chief minister of his financial support and urged him to submit the working paper of the project.
Sindh rural economy
The meeting also discussed the Sindh Agricultural Growth project worth $67 million, Sindh Integrated Agriculture Productivity Enhancement worth $283 million, water sector improvement project of $283 million, Sindh Barrage Improvement Project of $324 million and Sindh Resilience Project of $11 million. These projects are in progress and the chief minister urged the WB to reallocate Flood Shelter funds for the rehabilitation of flood-affected people.
The chief minister also discussed the Yellow Line project and the World Bank country chief told the chief minister to appoint the project director of the project so that it could be taken up.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 3rd, 2019.