ISLAMABAD: On Tuesday, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved ten development projects worth approximately Rs333.6 billion for the nation’s flood-related recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction.
The majority of projects, worth Rs233 billion, were in Sindh, which suffered the most damage from the flood.
Federal ministers for planning, communications, and commerce, prime minister’s special assistants on finance and revenue, provincial finance ministers of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Sindh government Senator Nisar Ahmed Khuhro attended the Ecnec meeting, which was presided over by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.
The meeting approved the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the National Highway 5 (N-5) from Moro to Ranipur (roughly 90 kilometers) as well as 32 damaged bridges for a total cost of Rs36.2 billion. The meeting also approved $164.6 million from the flood emergency loan provided by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), with the Pakistani government contributing 10% of the cost of the project.
The Sindh Flood Emergency Rehabilitation Project (SFERP), whose irrigation component will receive full funding from the World Bank, was approved by the meeting for Rs48.3 billion. The project addresses water conservation, flood-proofing infrastructure, and institutional reforms in various Sindh districts.
Also approved was Sindh’s SFERP for infrastructure, livelihoods (rescue 1122 component) worth Rs66 billion, with a $30 million foreign exchange component to repair damaged drainage systems, roads, and water supplies, among other things. in a number of districts.
Another Rs70.45 billion Sindh Water and Agriculture Transformation (SWAT) Project in over 23 districts was approved by Ecnec. Another project for Sindh called “Strengthening Social Protection Delivery System in Sindh” (SSPD) was approved by the meeting for Rs48.3 billion, with the Sindh government contributing Rs6.3 billion and receiving Rs42 billion in international development assistance.
Ecnec approved a Rs15 billion (68.2 million) project for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s irrigation, drainage, and flood protection works, with a Rs13.2 billion (60 million) foreign exchange component that will be funded by the KP government and the ADB.
The meeting approved a Rs12.5 billion (56.8 million) project for Balochistan, with the Balochistan government and the ADB contributing Rs11 billion (50 million) in foreign exchange.
Also approved by Ecnec was a Rs3.8 billion ($17.4 million) on-farm water management component that will be funded by the Balochistan government and the Asian bank and will include a Rs3.3 billion ($15 million) foreign exchange component.
The Ecnec approved Punjab’s Rs23.98 billion investment in workforce readiness, which includes ADB’s Rs21.896 billion and Punjab’s Rs2.086 billion contributions.
The meeting approved a revised project worth Rs9.018 billion for Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) for the 109.2 km Authmuqam-Sharda-Kel-Taobat road section, which includes two tunnels at Kahori/Kamser and the Challpani Neelum Valley road section.
