WB team assures CS of support for flood victims’ rehabilitation

A 10-member delegation of the World Bank, led by Regional Director Sustainable Development for South Asia John Roome, called on Sindh Chief Secretary Dr Muhammad Sohail Rajput on Wednesday.

The chief secretary informed the delegation about the damage caused by monsoon floods in Sindh, adding that about three million houses had been damaged, and cotton, dates, rice and sugarcane crops had badly been affected by the floods.

So far over 200,000 cattle heads had died which would add to the poverty in the flood-affected areas, he said, adding that the provincial government had already provided food and tents to the people, but still a large number of people were in dire need of help. “For such a large number of affectees, international organisations have to play their active role,” he added.

Dr Rajput informed the delegation that the provincial government was working to devise a plan to provide wheat seeds to farmers and construct low-cost houses in the flood-affected areas. He said a meeting with the World Bank board was scheduled for the next month for the approval of one billion dollars for the affected people in Pakistan. The World Bank delegation assured the CS its full support for the rehabilitation of the flood victims and asked the Sindh government to submit a plan before mid-October for the purpose.