The World Bank has approved financing of $1.69 billion for flood relief projects in the flood-affected areas of Sindh Province in Pakistan.
The funds will be used to finance five projects to support people living in the flood hit areas of the province, which World Bank said was worst affected by the floods. Three projects are related to supporting reconstruction, rehabilitation, and crop production in the affected areas, while two other projects are for health services and child and mother care.
The Sindh Flood Emergency Rehabilitation Project:
The World Bank has allocated $500 million for the rehabilitation project used to rehabilitate damaged infrastructure. It would be used to provide short-term livelihood opportunities and strengthen government capacity to respond to disasters. It will be used to restore and improve:
- Irrigation system
- Flood protection infrastructure
- Water supply schemes
- Roads, and
- Related infrastructure
At least 2 million people in the hardest hit districts of the province will benefit from the project. A community-level cash-for-work program will be introduced to offer short-term income support to about 100,000 households.
The Sindh Floods Emergency Housing Reconstruction Project
Another $500 million has been allocated for reconstruction of core housing units. The project involves providing a housing subsidy and reconstruction and restoration grants for 350,000 housing units. Houses with structural damage will get cash grants as partial financing for reconstruction or restoration.
The Sindh Water and Agriculture Transformation Project
About $292 million will be provided to increase agricultural water productivity, improve integrated water resources management, and to help flood-affected farmers restore crop production. The affected farmers will get cash transfers to help restore crop production through the purchase of seeds, fertilizer, and other critical inputs. This projected is expected to benefit over 385,000 households directly and indirectly.
The Sindh Strengthening Social Protection Delivery System Project
Out of total financing, $200 million be used to strengthen the social protection delivery system of Sindh and improve access to and utilization of child and mother health services. The project will provide conditional cash transfers (CCTS) to 1.3 million mothers and their children in bottom 15 districts of Sindh, selected on the basis of the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI).
The Sindh Integrated Health and Population Project
Another $200 million will be utilized to improve both the quality and implementation of basic reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health and nutrition services. It will also be used to rehabilitate and reconstruct health infrastructure damaged by floods.
The World Bank financing is aimed at relief projects in the south-eastern Sindh province, which it said was worst-affected by the floods.