ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Ministry of Economic Affairs and the World Bank have signed the financing agreement of the “Punjab Rural Sustainable Water Supply and Sanitation Project” worth US$ 442.4 million in Islamabad.
The Secretary Ministry of Economic Affairs Noor Ahmed signed the financing agreement on behalf of the government of Pakistan while the Country Director World Bank Najy Benhassine signed the agreement on behalf of the World Bank.
This project aims to provide equitable and sustainable access to clean drinking water; improve sanitation; and reduce child stunting in Punjab province.
The project interventions will cover 2,000 villages including 2,000 main settlements and 8,000 small settlements in 16 districts of Punjab province that are the poorest and have the worst social infrastructure and stunting issue.
In line with the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan to ensure equitable and inclusive socio-economic opportunities, eight districts from South Punjab i.e. Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur, DG Khan, Lodhran, Multan, Muzaffargarh, Rahim Yar Khan & Rajanpur are included in the project.
Furthermore, eight other districts from Central and North Punjab i.e. Bhakkar, Chakwal, Chiniot, Jhang, Khushab, Mianwali, Pakpattan & Sargodha are also included after due diligence.
The project will directly impact the life of the common man and create employment opportunities in the rural areas.
The government will invest in social infrastructure and improve service delivery to (i) provide potable water through cost-effective & sustainable investments; (ii) provide safely managed sanitation facilities to reduce the total fecal burden in the village environment, and (iii) raise awareness and promote behavior change for better hygiene practices at the household & community level to promote health and ensure the sustainability and quality of the water source.
The project interventions will directly benefit six million rural people of Punjab and will support in reducing the incidence of stunting among children aged 0-3 (40 percent) in Punjab.
The Minister for Economic Affairs Omar Ayub Khan appreciated the World Bank’s efforts by highlighting that this is a signature project which reflects the vision of the Prime Minister of Pakistan to invest in human capital and to improve the living standard of the people.
The minister further stated that today’s event was a reflection of continued confidence by the IFIs on the government’s policies, economic reforms, and people-centered programs.
Omar Ayub reiterated the commitment of the federal government to extend all possible support to the provincial governments in their efforts to invest in human capital by addressing challenges to health & education; building resilience, improving service delivery, and promoting economic opportunities to ensure inclusive and sustainable economic growth in the Country.
The Secretary EAD thanked the World Bank Country Team for extending their continuous support to the government of Pakistan to help achieving sustainable economic development in Pakistan.
The Country Director World Bank Najy Benhassine ensured the World Bank’s continued financial and technical support to the government of Pakistan in achieving the priority development objectives and promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth in the Country.
