KARACHI: The provincial government has prepared Sindh Vision 2025 programme which chalks out a road map for human, social and economic development.

This was stated by Sindh Planning & Development Board chairman Mohammad Waseem.

Recalling from his paper which he read out at the Sindh Development Forum, Mr Waseem said Sindh is a resource rich province which produces 71 per cent of the total gas and 44 per cent of the total oil produced in the country.

“The province also has 28 per cent installed capacity of power generation in Pakistan. Add to that 185 billion tons of coal reserves and great potential for alternate energy —with an estimated capacity of generating 50,000MW of wind power and 10,000MW of solar power.”

“Besides,” he said, “Sindh also happens to be the most urbanised province in Pakistan.”

He said the Sindh government with the support of the World Bank has also prepared a “Sindh growth strategy” for the next 5-10 years focusing largely on growth and competitiveness.

The World Bank has also carried out a city diagnostic and transformation strategy to transform Karachi into a livable and competitive mega city.

Sindh also faces a number of development challenges in the areas of poverty, nutrition, health, education, energy, water resources management and quality urban and rural infrastructure.

He said keeping in view these challenges the government is implementing Sindh Vision 2025, a multi-faceted development programme across the province, targeting industrial development and special economic zones; skill development; development of Thar coal and wind power projects; development of Keti Bunder port; irrigation structures and networks including rehabilitation of Sukkur barrage, improving the reliability and safety of Guddu barrage, and lining of canals; poverty reduction and community development.

In addition to this, the vision also includes schemes for creation of jobs and skills development; education reform programme focusing on rehabilitation and development of physical infrastructure and quality human resource; better health services across the province; nutrition support initiatives; water supply and sewerage services and betterment of infrastructure.

He said that phase I of Greater Karachi Water Supply Project (K-IV), Greater Karachi Sewerage Plan (S-III), better sanitation services through Sindh Solid Waste Management Board in collaboration with local governments and private service providers, development of an integrated mass transit system in Karachi including BRTS lines and rehabilitation of KCR were also part of vision 2025.

Mr Waseem said Karachi mega and neighborhood improvement projects also included revitalisation of Saddar as a more livable and public friendly downtown.

A number of these projects are being implemented with the technical and financial support of our development partners including the World Bank, ADB, USAID, European Union, JICA, various UN agencies, Korean Assistance, and Multi Donor Trust Fund (MTDF), he added.

Published in Dawn, April 2nd, 2018