ISLAMABAD: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has hinted at providing additional assistance to Pakistan for development and uplift projects.

During a meeting with Finance Minister Ishaq Dar here on Wednesday, ADB’s country head Werner Liepach said the bank had identified a number of new development and social uplift schemes on which he would like to give a briefing to the government.

He said that since economic rating of Pakistan by international agencies was getting better, the ADB was considering additional options to help Pakistan achieve its development targets.

Mr Liepach said the ADB was on track on Jamshoro coal-fired energy project and the allocated funds for the project would be timely released. The Jamshoro project, scheduled to be completed in 2018, will add 1,300MW of electricity to the national grid.

The country head said the bank had decided to release $225 million next month for the rehabilitation of temporary displaced persons (TDPs) and people affected by floods.

Mr Liepach said that as far as the assistance programme for the welfare of TDPs and flood-affected people was concerned, everything was on track, and the ADB was satisfied over the cooperation being extended by the government agencies in terms of damage estimates and relief efforts.

Mr Dar informed the ADB official that the government was working to set up a ‘Disaster Risk Fund’ on a permanent basis to cater for any future natural calamities.

The government was considering schemes for providing crop insurance facilities to farmers to protect those affected by natural disasters and help them recoup, he added.

The minister also discussed with Mr Liepach the upcoming visit of the ADB vice president. Mr Liepach expressed sorrow and grief over the loss of lives and property because of rainstorm in Peshawar on Monday.

Published in Dawn, April 30th, 2015

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