ISLAMABAD: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has agreed in principle to a Punjab government’s request to finance public health and municipal environment projects worth $500 million in 11 cities under the proposed `Punjab Cities Improvement Investment Programme’.

The ADB is evaluating the project which focuses on developing efficient and financially sustainable cities with effective urban services, including supply of safe and reliable water, wastewater and solid waste management and transport infrastructure and services, official sources said.

Sialkot, Gujrat, Sargodha, Chiniot, Jhang, Sheikhupura, Okara, Kasur, Sahiwal, Bahawalpur and Rahimyar Khan will benefit while Sialkot will be the first city to witness project launching.

Urban environment, city management, municipal finance and service delivery are exceedingly poor in the province, the document said. Water supply and sanitation, solid waste management and urban transport have failed because of limited and poor physical coverage and intermittent delivery, it said.

According to the document, missing or crumbling infrastructure, absence of sustainable operating systems and poor planning and delivery service affect the quality of life, limit investment opportunities, and hamper economic growth and job opportunities.

The ADB said the project would help improve capacity-building of municipal government and autonomous authorities.

The programme would minimise resettlement impact by prioritising rehabilitation and optimising work within existing facilities.

Published in Dawn, November 24th , 2014