WB to provide $850mn to restore flood-affected districts

Author: APP

The World Bank (WB) will provide $850 million to restore 34 flood-affected districts including Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur.

A UN delegation comprising Tanveer Ahmad Khan and Shumaila Rohi informed this during a meeting with Commissioner DG Khan Liaquat Ali Chatha in his office on Monday. Officers of the Ehsaas Programme were also present on the occasion.

They said the Bank had started preparation to allocate the fund smoothly through respective official agencies.

Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chatha said that the flood affectees of DG Khan and Rajanpur were shifted back to their homes. However, a brief survey of the flood-hit areas in the said districts with regard to aid proliferation would be completed in a week, he added.

The two survey teams – each consisting of 100 and 75 representatives of the district administration, PDMA, urban unit and Army were deputed to DG Khan and Rajanpur respectively, Chatha informed.

He said the district administration had restored 75 per cent canal system through Rs. 750 million allocated by the Punjab government, adding that about 300 school buildings were damaged due to the catastrophic floods. To save Jampur, Rajanpur and Roghan from flash floods in the future, work on drains construction was started, the commissioner said and added water channels would be streamlined in DG Khan district as well.

He assured the UN representatives that the divisional administration would extend maximum cooperation.

Tanveer Ahmad, the UN representative in Pakistan, said they wanted to work with the district body concerned in a cohesive manner and urged the Commissioner to chalk out a modus operandi to dispense the aid money effectively.