YOKAHAMA: The Asian Development Bank will provide financing, including loans and grants worth $1,055 million for nine projects in Pakistan, particularly in water and irrigation sectors during 2017/19. Nine projects in the four provinces - Balochistan, Punjab, Sindh and KP will be financed by the bank after approval during the years 2017/19, sources at the Asian Development Bank said on Wednesday on the eve of 50th annual meeting of its board of governors, scheduled for May 4 to 7. The projects to be approved by the ADB for financing, including loans, grants and identified co-financing of $1,055 million for 2017/19 included Balochistan Water Resources ($5 million), Punjab Intermediate Cities Improvement Program - MFF, tranche 1 ($200 million), Greater Thal Canal Irrigation project ($50 million), Balochistan Water Resources project ($100 million), Jalalpur Irrigation project ($150 million), Sindh Urban Development project ($100 million), KP Intermediate Cities project ($100 million), Cholistan Water Resource Development project ($150 million) and Punjab Intermediate Cities Improvement Program - MFF, tranche 2 ($200 million). The Asian Development Bank is expected to deliver its concurrence for water projects in Balochistan province, as well as two cities of the Punjab province, including Sialkot and Sahiwal during the current calendar year. Briefing newsmen ahead of the annual meeting of the board of governors, Amy Leung, deputy director general and Vijay Padmanabhan, technical adviser (Urban), Sustainable and Climate Change Department, the ADB presented the details of the two projects, which are under consideration of the board for approval in 2017. To a query, Leung said that water resources development project for Balochistan, costing $100 million is expected to be accorded approval during 2017. Integrated water resources information System for Balochistan – first-ever in Pakistan will ensure efficient water use, disaster risk management and climate
adaptation, she added. Having good use of free satellite date from JAXA, the Integrated Water Resources Information System (WRIS), will develop high efficiency irrigation system, besides efficient use of water and fertiliser, ultimately lending support to the agriculture sector, she added. Referring to the projects for Sahiwal and Sialkot, costing $200 million, to be approved by the Asian Development Bank, Padmanabhan said that these ongoing projects and have been designed to improve drainage systems, besides creating public and green spaces to reduce the impact of urban heat, addressing climate change issue. The projects, including water treatment plant for Sahiwal and Sialkot - two cities adjacent to China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) are scheduled for approval by the Asian Development Bank this year, he added. —APP