April 22, 2006	Saturday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 23, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, April 21: Sindh has sought an urgent approval from the federal government of a proposal for preparation of a 20-year Master Plan for Water Supply & Sewerage System of Karachi with the financial and technical support of Japan.

Official sources told Dawn on Friday that Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will provide Rs 200 million to help formulate the master plan by 2025.

The federal government is expected to also make available additional funds to Sindh for implementing the plan after its formal approval by the Planning Commission.

The Sindh authorities planned to get a feasibility study conducted for the priority projects selected in the Master Plan. The study will consolidate findings of previous studies and work implemented under World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ADB) programme, proposals for new works under Tameer-i-Karachi programme and supplement these findings with surveys, investigations, planning proposal, prepare development strategies and phased investment plan identifying both local and medium term programme.

The federal government was informed that previous Master Plan studies for water supply and sewerage services were up to 2003 and could not cater/address the growing needs of water supply and disposal of the sewerage.