$895m social projects okayed for Sindh

The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) has given the green light to seven development projects in Sindh funded by foreign lenders, according to The Express Tribune. They cover water and sanitation, schooling, irrigation, property revenue, environmental protection and urban infrastructure. The approvals, dated October 2, total $895 million in foreign financing, with an irrigation scheme costed at Rs50.99 billion on top.

The largest item is the STAR WASH Services Phase-I Project, valued at $450 million and made up of a $300 million World Bank share and a $150 million Asian Development Bank portion. Its purpose is to upgrade water, sanitation and hygiene provision in rural Sindh. Other approvals include $15 million in Project Readiness Financing for urban and water-sector preparation. The Sindh Property Revenue Enhancement Programme, backed by a $150 million World Bank financing, seeks to strengthen property revenue systems.

In education, the CDWP cleared the $150 million SELECT-II classroom project, funded by the World Bank and aimed at early learning. The Sindh Secondary Education Improvement Project, Second Additional Financing, also won approval, pairing a $100 million ADB loan with a $10 million grant. Separately, PAK-FLOW, which targets water-sector emissions, gained approval for $20 million from the World Bank. The Water Requirement for K-IV Project covers the Kalari Baghar Feeder and Keenjhar Lake, with feeder lining costed at Rs50,989 million under the Sindh Irrigation Department.