ISLAMABAD: The Asian Development Bank has approved $5 million for the ‘project readiness financing’ of the Kurram Tangi Integrated Water Resources Development Project.

The PRF is meant for safeguard assessments and preparation of documents for the project’s approval by the ADB and government.

According to an ADB document, the PRF will include the update of land acquisition and resettlement plan, environment impact assessment, financial and economic analysis, and gender action plan.

“The PRF will ensure high project readiness of the ensuing project, thereby facilitating the timely and cost-effective achievement of the project outcomes.”

The government approved the Planning Commission’s Proforma II for the proposed PRF in June 2021. It had sought the PRF from the ADB to prepare the Kurram Tangi Integrated Water Resources Development project.

The document said the project was a priority for the government and was aligned with ADB’s Strategy 2030 addressing poverty and inequality, climate change and disaster risk management, rural development and food security, and strengthening governance and institutional capacity.

It added that the initiative was meant for the construction of a 95 meters high dam with a water storage capacity of 1,480 million cubic meters on the Kurram River; construct three small hydroelectric powerhouses to generate 65MW hydropower; irrigate 27,400 hectares of new command area, and improve irrigation water supply to the existing 154,444 hectares of command area.

Published in Dawn, November 19th, 2021