‘World Bank to provide Rs16bn more funds for uplift projects’

LAHORE: Punjab Caretaker Local Government Minister Ibrahim Murad has said that development projects at a cost of Rs23 billion were currently in progress in 16 cities of the province under the Punjab Cities Programme funded by the World Bank.

The World Bank will provide an additional Rs16 billion during the forthcoming fiscal year and thus a sum of Rs39 billion will be available for the execution of these projects. Caretaker minister chaired a meeting to review the pace of development works under the programme which was attended by the Punjab Cities Programme project director Syed Zahid Aziz and other officials concerned. The meeting was told that work was going on in 16 cities of Punjab on the projects for provision of basic amenities of life through the relevant local bodies.

These projects included water supply, drainage, solid waste management, construction of roads and streets, parks and bus stands. These projects were under way in Daska, Hafizabad, Jhelum, Kamonki, Muridke, Wazirabad, Gujrat, Jaranwala, Jhang, Kamalia, Okara, Bahawalpur, Burewala, Khanewal, Kot Addu and Vehari. Ibrahim Murad directed that the ongoing projects under the World Bank's Punjab Cities Programme should be completed within the stipulated time period.

He observed that provision of clean drinking water to citizens in backward areas and implementation of drainage projects should be ensured on a priority basis. Employees of local governments must be provided training to complete the projects transparently and achieve sustainable results from them, he added. The project also included implementation of effective public grievances redress system, transparency, financial management and environmental guidelines, the meeting was informed.