KARACHI: The World Bank delegation, led by its Regional Director Sustainable Development for South Asia, on Wednesday assured its full support for the rehabilitation of the flood victims, asking the Sindh government to submit a plan before mid of October in this regard.
The assurance was given a 10-member delegation of World Bank led by Mr John Roome, Regional Director Sustainable Development for South Asia during a meeting Sindh Chief Secretary Dr Muhammad Sohail Rajput here on Wednesday.
Chairman Planning & Development Board, Syed Hassan Naqvi, Finance Secretary Sajid Jamal Abro, Agriculture Secretary Aijaz Ahmed Mahesar, Secretary Livestock Tameezudin Khero, Secretary General Administration Muhammad Hanif Channa, Abedalrazq Khalil Program Lead World Bank, Ipek Alkan of World Bank and others participated in the meeting.
The Sindh CS informed the World Bank delegation about the damages caused by floods in the province. He said that almost 3 million houses have been damaged in Sindh. Moreover, cotton, dates, rice and sugarcane crops have also been affected by the floods.
The chief secretary further informed the delegation that so far more than 0.2 million livestock cattleheads have also died due to floods that would add to poverty in these flood-affected areas.
He also said that the provincial government has already provided food and tents to the people still a large number of people are in dire need of help. “For such a large number affected population, international organizations have to play their active role” he added.
Sindh CS Dr Muhammad Sohail Rajput further informed the delegation that the provincial government is working to devise a plan to provide wheat seeds to the farmers and construction of low-cost houses in flood affected areas.
In the meeting the delegation of World Bank informed that a meeting World Bank Board is scheduled next month which will approve 1 billion dollars for Pakistan’s flood affected areas.
