June 21, 2005	Tuesday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 13, 1426

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ISLAMABAD, June 20: The government of Japan has approved the release of $500,000 from its Trust Fund for Human Security to finance UNDP’s Poverty Alleviation and Sustainable Development Facility project dealing with water scarcity in drylands areas of the NWFP. According to an official announcement issued here on Monday, the UNDP would launch a pilot project on rainwater harvesting, conservation and efficient use of water in dryland areas of Kohat district of the NWFP.

The immediate objective of the project is to improve quality of human life and restore dryland ecosystem. Under the project, 20 new irrigation schemes, benefiting approximately 20,000 community members, would be initiated in project area. Involving community participation, the project would lead towards the development of a socially and economically replicable Natural Resource Management model in dryland areas.

The project is aimed at the establishment of Citizen Community Boards as per the devolution plan in three union councils to tap government’s financial resources and train communities in managing the development schemes.

UNDP Pakistan would provide matching fund of $300,000 for the three-year project.

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