Release of World Bank funds demanded to expedite projects
The World Bank will also provide financial support to floods and rains affected farmers of Pakistan by providing them subsidised urea. PHOTO: FILE
Sindh Chief Minister Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar and South Asia Regional Vice President Martin Raiser in their meeting discussed the $2.2 billion World Bank portfolio and decided to accelerate work on the ongoing projects by the provincial government and the World Bank would start releasing the funds so that project could be completed on time.
The meeting was held at the CM House and was attended by World Bank Country Director Najy Benhassine, Draugelis Operation Manager Gilius and others. Chief Secretary Dr Fakhre Alam and Chairman P&D Shakil Mangnejo were also part of the meeting.
The World Bank Accelerated Action Plan for Reduction of Stunting and Malnutrition in Sindh is aimed at achieving a goal of reducing stunting from 30 per cent to 15 per cent by 2026.
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The CM and the visiting World Bank regional chief discussed other factors to reduce stunting. They agreed to adopt a revised theory of change that includes all the critical drivers of stunting from ‘nutrition-specific’ to include the critical environmental factors that drive a large part of the biological process underlying stunting. These include, in particular, access to safe water besides sanitation and the safe management of animal and solid waste.
The chief minister said that UNICEF was supporting the Sindh government through Rolling Work plan for two years 2023-2024 with a grant of $50.573 million in health, nutrition, education, water and sanitation, and hygiene sectors.
The European Union has recently initiated a project for “Strengthen Local Civil Society and Community-based Organisations and their Capacity in Nutrition Sector in Sindh” with a grant of 6.1 million euro in six districts - Sukkur, Ghotiki, Naushero Feroz, Kashmore and Khairpur.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 1st, 2023.