KARACHI, May 29: The central development working party of federal government has given its affirmative nod to Sindh Coastal and Inland Community Development Project costing US$0.814 million for coastal zone. The concept paper for the project was prepared by Sindh Coastal Development Authority involving the Asian Development Bank’s contribution totalling 0.650 million dollars while 0.164 dollars will be borne by Sindh government.

The Sindh Coastal Development Authority will be the executing agency of the project, which aims at developing a Project Preparatory Technical Assistance for development of Sindh coastal and inland community.

The technical assistance, which would be a multi-sector approach study from development of agriculture land to up-gradation of fisheries aims to develop physical and social infrastructures to raise income and improve social conditions in Thatta and Badin.

The project will cover institutional requirements for project investments, and identify investment components in rehabilitation of roads, jetties, village infrastructure, community development, micro credit, poverty alleviation, a green revolution through palm oil and coconut plantation in coastal areas.

The investment in projects will be identified on the basis of feasibility study through the Project Preparatory Technical Assistance of Asian Development Bank.

The magnitude of problems in coastal areas, as per Sindh Coastal and Inland Community Development (SCDA), required that an assistance programme be arranged to develop a coastal zone management approach to benefit the area population.

The proposed technical assistance, as per SCDA’s concept paper, envisages coastal districts, where the estimated poverty within project areas exceeds 80 per cent.

The assistance will focus on building coastal resource management institutions through replication of approaches for implementation of policies, effective use of management intervention, which shall result in improved sustainable livelihood for poor coastal communities which include mangrove restoration, aquaculture development, inland fishing, marketing, post harvesting, community mobilization, micro credit, education, health, communication access by linking creeks with road networks, small desalination plants, alternative energy in the shape of windmill/solar hybrid system, hydro-geological exploration of underground sweet water, poverty alleviation through palm oil and coconut plantations and awareness of environmental protection.—APP