HYDERABAD, Oct 8: Asian Development Bank social sector coordinator Vincent de Wit has said the bank will advance $120 million to Sindh for improving its basic services.

Giving a briefing at the concluding session of a two-day workshop on “Devolved Social Services Programme” held at a hotel here on Wednesday, he said 1 to 1.5 per cent interest would be charged on the loan and the capital amount would have to be repaid in 32 years.

He further said the amount would be spent through district governments and taluka councils.

The workshop was organized by the Raasta Development Consultants on behalf of the Sindh government and in collaboration with the ADB.

Mr Wit said social indicators in Sindh when compared to other countries were very low. He said enrolment in schools was poor, mortality rate was high, there was malnutrition, portable water was not available and the sewerage system was non-existent. He said women and children were the main sufferers.

He said other issues which required attention were poverty, gender discrimination, pollution, financial constraints, inefficiency and problems of governance. He said health, drinking water and sanitation problems also needed to be addressed.

He said targets of ADB loans were to increase enrolment in primary schools from 53 per cent to 80 per cent and also in middle and high schools.

Stressing the need for proper utilization of funds, good governance and peoples’ participation, Mr Wit said this would have a positive impact on delivery of services.

ADB education specialist William Loxley, Farrukh Bashir Moriani of the ADB, Seimi Kamal of Raasta, Nasir Panhwar of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, Dr Allah Nawaz Sammo and others said local government organizations were facing problems of governance, union councils were shorn of powers and a tussle was going on between district and Sindh governments.

Nazims, councillors and officials of health, education and public health engineering departments attended the workshop.

MUET: The controller of examinations, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro, on Thursday has announced the results of the environmental engineering first term third batch in postgraduate diploma (regular examinations) held in June.

The controller has also announced the results of environmental engineering first term seventh batch in postgraduate diploma (supplementary examinations) held in April.

SEMINAR: A one-day seminar on “Starting a Business as a Career Choice” was held at the Mehran University of Engineering and Technology for students and faculty members on Tuesday.