The World Bank is considering to extend additional financing covers of around $72 million to bridge the financing gap in the “Sindh Barrages Improvement Project”.
Official documents revealed that the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors is scheduled to consider ‘Second Additional Financing (AF) for the Sindh Barrages Improvement Project’ next month with the project development objectives of improving the reliability and safety of the Guddu barrage and strengthen the Sindh Irrigation Department’s capacity to operate and manage the barrage.
The “Sindh Barrages Improvement Project” of worth $326.6 million is facing financing gap of about $72 million and will require either government of Sindh counterpart funding or additional IDA funding to meet contractual obligations in the medium-term. Official documents of the World Bank revealed that due to accumulated delays, completing the works at Guddu and Sukkur will require more time beyond the current project closing date of June 30, 2024.
The project was approved in 2015 with the original closing date of 22 December 2020, which was later revised to June 30, 2024.
The AF will provide a $71.7 million IDA credit to close the financing gap for the completion of activities. There are no new activities introduced under this AF.
(Revised total cost: US$ 286 million equivalent, of which IDA $267 million equivalent). This component will finance the rehabilitation and modernization of Guddu and Sukkur barrages and associated structures.
These investments will not only improve the reliability of the water supply to the 14 main canals fed by the barrages but also restore the flood passage capacity of the barrages. The project area is highly vulnerable to climate change-induced drought and flooding, with high-risk levels for several flood events. Thus, the investments will help build climate resilience for infrastructure and project beneficiaries.
Rehabilitation and modernization of the Guddu Barrage and its associated structures, comprising, inter alia:
Rehabilitation and modernization of Sukkur Barrage and its associated structures, comprising, inter alia:
(total cost: US$ 9.00 million equivalent, of which IDA US$ 9.00 million equivalent).
This component will finance an institutional capacity-strengthening program to improve the operation and maintenance of the three barrages. Activities will include technical assistance, training, incremental operating costs, and procurement of works, equipment, and logistics facilities to strengthen BMU’s capacity to
All these activities will directly contribute to improving the resilience of the Sindh province to extreme flood and drought events.
(Revised total cost: US$ 7.50 million equivalent, of which IDA $ 6.50 million equivalent).
This component will finance studies that will inform the subsequent investment phases for the improvement of Barrage safety and performance, including
(Revised total cost: $1.70 million equivalent, of which IDA $1.50 million equivalent).
This component will finance activities aiming at
(Revised total cost: $10.50 million equivalent, of which IDA $7.00 million equivalent).
This component will support the incremental operating costs for maintaining the Project Management Office (PMO) under the Sindh Irrigation Department and the Project Coordination and Monitoring Unit (PCMU) throughout the extended project implementation period, including technical assistance to guide the procurement activities and monitor the civil works progress; training; monitoring and evaluation of the project’s results framework and overall project impacts, fiduciary and safeguard compliances; and annual external audit.