World Bank to provide Rs116b for reconstruction of calamity-hit Sindh

Rs110b will be provided for housing projects for flood victims while Rs6b for Karachi infrastructure, says Sharjeel

KARACHI:

Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon has said that the World Bank has assured the provincial government of giving Rs110 billion for the construction of houses for the flood victims.

Addressing a press conference at the Sindh Archives Complex on Sunday, the provincial minister said a company headed by the chief secretary will be formed to ensure transparency in the entire process.

Moreover, the World Bank has also pledged to provide Rs6 billion for the construction of infrastructure damaged by recent torrential rains in Karachi while the Sindh government will spend Rs7 billion from its own resources, he added.

Sharjeel said it was estimated that a total of Rs13 billion will be required to reconstruct the metropolis’ infrastructure.

Speaking about flood relief and rehabilitation efforts, he said that more than 50% of the water has been drained from the flood-affected areas. The Irrigation Department, Public Health Engineering and other relevant institutions are working day and night on the dewatering process, he added.

Also read: Sindh, World Bank agree to launch Rs110b housing project for flood victims

The info minister said Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah is personally monitoring the entire process and holding district-wise meetings on a daily basis to promptly address the issues.

He said that 506,579 tents, 523,195 tarpaulins, 3,023,872 mosquito nets, 798,053 littres of mineral water and other essential supplies have been provided to the victims by the Sindh government.

The provincial government is ensuring the massive supply of ration on daily basis and as many as 420,189 families have been provided with ration bags thus far.

Apart from this, cooked food is being delivered to all relief camps and tent cities. The entire machinery of the government is trying to help the flood victims as much as possible, the minister added.