KARACHI: Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Thursday directed the departments concerned to expedite the works on the reconstruction and rehabilitation of flood-affected infrastructure and pursue donors for pending funds.

Presiding over a meeting to review the progress made in the rehabilitation of the schools, health facilities and roads damaged in the unprecedented floods of 2022, the chief minister directed the departments concerned to prepare the progress reports of the flood-affected works so that they could also be reviewed.

Schools

The school education secretary Dr Shireen Narejoinformed the chief minister that 19,808 schools had been damaged by the floods 2022, of them 7,503 were fully damaged and needed to be reconstructed.

She said that out of 7,503 fully damaged schools, funding for construction of 2,020 buildings was committed by friendly countries like the European Union, China, and donor agencies ADB, Federal PSDP and Provincial ADP for Rs60.972 billion.

He directed the chairman of P&D to get approval for the projects from Central Development Working Party — a wing of the federal ministry of planning development and special initiatives — and pursue the agencies and donors for release of funds.

Health schemes

The health secretary health Dr Mansoor told the chief minister that the 1,000 Day-Integrated Health and Population Program had been started with Rs61,600 million ($280m) with the help of the World Bank with a provincial government share of $30 million. The project would be completed in 2026-27.

The project’s scope encompasses the refurbishment of 392 dispensaries.

In addition, the project will also provide micro-financing and skill development opportunities to 6,000 women.

The chief minister was further told that a MoU had been signed between PPHI (People Primary Health Initiative) and the Program for the operationalisation of 50 dispensaries under PPHI management.

The CM was told that the draft Terms of Reference for a third-party consultancy firm for skill development through vocational training of 6,000 eligible women had also been submitted to the Islamic Development Bank for approval. The chief minister directed the works and services department to speed up work.

Published in Dawn, March 1st, 2024