ISLAMABAD: The Board of Executive Directors of the World Bank has authorized $1.692 billion in financing for Pakistan for five projects to aid those residing in Sindh’s flood-affected areas.
The Washington-based financing organization announced 3 projects that help disadvantaged communities’ rehabilitation, house rebuilding, and restoration of food production, while 2 more projects promote child health services.
According to Najy Benhassine, the World Bank’s Country Director for Pakistan, the province most severely impacted by the floods of 2022 was Sindh as housing, healthcare, and agriculture all suffered severe damage, and many individuals lost their jobs as a result.
He stated that WB’s participation in the flood response effort is an opportunity to strengthen resilience, reform institutions, and restructure governance structures beyond the rehabilitation and reconstruction of damaged infrastructure.
As per the details, the first project, the Sindh Flood Emergency Rehabilitation Project, would assist repair damaged infrastructure, offer temporary employment opportunities, and improve the government’s ability to respond to catastrophes, costing $500 million.
The second project, the Sindh Floods Emergency Housing Reconstruction Project ($500 million), will assist owners in rebuilding key housing units in a way that is robust to many hazards. 350,000 housing units will get funds for renovation.
The Sindh Water and Agriculture Transformation Project, which will cost $292 million, would boost agricultural water productivity, enhance integrated water resources management, and help farmers who had their crops destroyed by flooding resume crop production.
The Sindh Strengthening Social Protection Delivery System Project ($200 million) would improve access to and use of maternity and child health services while also strengthening the provincial social protection delivery system and will give conditional cash transfers (CCTs) to 1.3 million mothers and their children.
The Sindh Integrated Health and Population Project ($200 million), the 5th and final loan project, would assist raise the standard and efficiency of nutrition, maternity, child, and adolescent health care.
