ISLAMABAD: The World Bank (WB) has approved financial support of $213 million for the flood-affected people in Balochistan province under the Integrated Flood Resilience and Adaptation Project (IFRAP).
The aid is a part of the program agreed with Pakistan to respond to the deadly floods that hit the country last year in summer. The program focused to build a climate-resilient Pakistan to bring improvement in livelihoods, essential services and to enhance protection against risk in communities affected by the recent devastating floods in the South Asian country.
While highlighting the importance of the program Pakistan’s Country Director World Bank Najy Benhassine said in a press statement on Friday that WB would continue to work closely with the Government of Balochistan to assist the affected communities of the province in livelihood, irrigation, and infrastructures related to flood protection.
He said the assistance would help the population in improving their resilience to cope in a better way against climate-related natural hazards and disasters in the future. He added that the project would particularly cover post-flood rehabilitation and resilient-reconstruction program agreed with the concerned authorities.
WB Assiatnce for Balochistan
The Integrated Flood Resilience and Adaptation Project (IFRAP) would approximately build and reconstruct 35,100 houses. It also included a package for low-income farmers to support them in livestock, promote climate-smart agriculture, and other relevant requirements. The Program also covers other basic issues in the province comprising irrigation, roads, water supply, and community facilities.
Meanwhile, senior Water Specialist of World Bank Yoro Sidibe stated that being a vulnerable province to natural disasters with challenges of socioeconomic and climate change the project aimed to enable the affected communities to restore their lives. The project would benefit about 2.7 million people in targeted communities in calamity-declared districts across Balochistan.
