Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that with the support of the World Bank, his government wants to work in human capital, poverty reduction, stunted growth, revenue mobilisation and economic reform sectors of the province.
This he said while talking to World Bank Country Director Najy Benhassine at CM House on Friday. The meeting discussed 18 development projects of $3.25 billion, including $1.64 billion ongoing and 1.605 billion in the pipeline.
The CM said five of these projects were scheduled to be completed during the current financial year. They are Sindh Agriculture Growth Project of $86 million, Sindh Irrigation Agriculture Productivity Enhancement Project of $76 million, Public Sector Management Reform of $50 million, Sindh Enhanced Response to Reduce Stunting $187 million and Karachi Neighbourhood Improvement Program (KNIP) of $86 million.
Shah said the World Bank was committed to releasing $461 million against which $267.7 million had been released so far and the remaining amount of $193.3 million was yet to be released for these development projects. He added that these projects would be completed by end of 2021; therefore, they should be given priority in terms of financial support.
It was pointed out that the projects to be launched in partnership with the World Bank included Sindh Water & Agricultural Transformation, and Sindh Early Warning Enhancement. Shah urged the country director of the World Bank to expedite completion of their formalities so that the projects could be started from the next financial year.
Talking about the Sindh Resilience Project (SRP), Chairman Sindh Planning & Development Board Mohammad Waseem said that it had been revised to include the modified scope of work which needed to be approved by Ecnec.
The meeting was informed that anti-encroachment activities around the main drains of Karachi were in progress, the Mahmoodabad Nullah had been cleared, and the removal of encroachments from the Gujjar Nullah and Orangi Nullah would start very soon.
The CM said he had notified a working group on the development of city-wide resettlement and rehabilitation framework by February 4, 2021, to work with a social development team of the World Bank.
The Karachi commissioner, deputy commissioners, the KMC administrator, the administrator and revenue officials were already working with the World Bank in this regard, the meeting was told.
The World Bank country chief said that currently their 12 projects worth $1.64 billion were active and in progress, while the portfolio of six projects having a total value of $1.605 billion was in the pipeline.
He assured the CM that the remaining funds would be released shortly so that the projects in progress could be completed in time.
LG secretary
Secretary Local Government, Housing and Town Planning Sindh Najam Ahmad Shah has said that all the institutes and sub-offices affiliated with the Local Government Department should be brought in line with the international standards and modern requirements.
He expressed these views during a visit to the CLICK project office. Project Director CLICK Afzal Zaidi took the secretary on a tour of various under-construction departments of the project office.
Shah said that in order to make the Local Government Department a world class public office, it was necessary for all affiliated departments and their staff to render their services with full dedication and determination.
He added that various projects being run by the Sindh government in fact reflected that the government was deeply concerned and working for the welfare of the people of the province, and timely and easy resolution of civic issues was the topmost mission of the local department.
Giving instructions, Shah said more focus should be laid on improving the performance and speed of the ongoing projects in collaboration with the World Bank and in any case the benefits of the projects should be transferred to the people of the province. Later, the secretary visited the DMC South and its associated buildings and issued necessary instructions regarding important issues.