ISLAMABAD: The Asian Development Bank has approved a financing of $5 million for preparation of design and planning of the Naulong Integrated Water Resources Development project in Jhal Magsi, Balochistan.

The financing will ensure high-quality design, stakeholder engagement and safeguards and procurement readiness and support of the ensuing project. It builds on the project planning documents, including the feasibility study and associated studies commissioned by the Wapda.

The readiness financing will validate the project design and update social and environmental safeguards and other due diligence assessments. The financing has already been included in the ADB’s indicative country operations business plan for Pakistan covering the period between 2021 and 2023.

The project will support investment in water resources infrastructure, water management and skills development through an inclusive and gender sensitive social mobilisation processes and enhance climate and disaster resilience and improve agriculture productivity and livelihood opportunities.

The project is estimated to cost $300m with ADB’s loan financing of $100m. The financing will facilitate timely and cost-effective achievement of the project’s outcome.

The pro forma-I for the project readiness financing has also been approved by the Planning Commission. Pakistan has committed to mitigate climate vulnerability and reduce its annual greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent till 2030.

About 70pc of farmers in Balochistan do not have access to regular source of water. Variability in water availability in Balochistan is far higher than the national average, and per capita water storage is only 20pc of the national average that itself is already grossly inadequate in comparison to other countries in the region.

Extended droughts and destructive flash floods are common, and are likely to worsen with future climate change projections.

Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2022

Opinion

Editorial

Out of control
Updated 19 Feb, 2025

Out of control

AS bodies continue to fall in Kurram despite a state-sanctioned ceasefire, one wonders how long local militants’...
Hollow words
19 Feb, 2025

Hollow words

IT is not uncommon for politicians to resort to the use of hyperbole in order to boost their public standing. ...
Migration matters
19 Feb, 2025

Migration matters

THE grass, it seems, did appear greener on the other side to millions of people as evidenced by the latest UN ...
Cholistan project
Updated 18 Feb, 2025

Cholistan project

GPI goals align with Pakistan's broader economic aims but the manner in which the initiative was launched raises questions.
Right to know
18 Feb, 2025

Right to know

IT is an unfortunate paradox that while on paper Pakistan has some of the most impressive right to information laws,...
Dam dispute
18 Feb, 2025

Dam dispute

THE situation in Chilas needs attention and a fair-minded approach so that it can be resolved amicably. Diamer ...