WB funded Rs19bn projects in quake-hit areas

 









ISLAMABAD: The World Bank will continue to provide financial assistance for the benefit of marginalised and poor communities of Pakistan, according to a senior official of the bank.

Addressing the closing ceremony of the earthquake relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction project of the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation project on Tuesday, the bank’s country director Yusupha B.

Crookes said $900 million had been provided for poverty alleviation interventions during the last five years in Pakistan.


The event marked the completion of Rs19 billion projects of reconstruction of 122,000 housing units, rehabilitation of over 660 water supply and infrastructure schemes and reconstruction of 19 modern health and educational facilities in 34 union councils of quake-ravaged NWFP and AJK.

Mr Crookes said the bank’s partnership with the PPAF had been an amazing experience and the fund’s efforts in mitigating the suffering of the marginalised and poor people through multiple interventions across Pakistan were laudable.

He said the PPAF and its partners had worked hard to execute meaningfully the World Bank-funded earthquake reconstruction and rehabilitation project worth over Rs19 billion ($303 million) in the earthquake-affected areas of the NWFP and AJK.

PPAF chief executive officer Kamal Hyat, Chief Strategy Officer Ahmad Jamal, Chief Operating Officer Kamran Akbar and other staffers and representatives from various partner and community organisations were present on the occasion.

In all 122,000 housing structures have been funded after being put in one of three categories including partially damaged, completely destroyed and negligible structural damage.

Besides rehabilitation of 669 water supply and infrastructure schemes in affected areas and providing training in reconstruction techniques to over 108,000 house owners, masons, craftsmen, carpenters and block manufacturers, PPAF, through its eight partner organisations, has facilitated reconstruction of 12 schools (six each for boys and girls) which are equipped with modern facilities like science and computer laboratories, tuck shops, playgrounds and libraries.

With spacious classrooms, playgrounds and de