ISLAMABAD: The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors on Tuesday approved $200 million to strengthen the state capacities to deliver basic services and climate-resilient rural infrastructure in tribal districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The amount also includes investments for post-flood rehabilitation and reconstruction, and as part of the programme agreed with Pakistani government to respond to the devastating floods that hit the country in the summer of 2022, and build a climate-resilient Pakistan, according to a news release issued by the World Bank’s resident mission in Islamabad.

It said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Rural Investment and Institutional Support Project was the first phase of a multi-phase approach to increase access to resilient and reliable basic services for rural households in KP’s tribal districts.

Representative says project to address development gaps in rural areas

Under this first phase, investments will focus on strengthening state responsiveness and facilitating citizen-driven service delivery, as well as rehabilitate infrastructure affected by the 2023 summer devastating floods.

“KPRIISP aims to address development gaps in rural areas that are among the poorest in the country, directly benefiting around 5.5 million people by extending public service delivery systems, investing in basic infrastructure like water supply and sanitation, and boosting agricultural productivity and livelihood opportunities,” said World Bank country director for Pakistan Najy Benhassine.

“It will also support post-floods reconstruction and rehabilitation, while strengthening resilience to such climate-related shocks, particularly in KP’s newly-merged districts,” he said.

He said the project would support the extension of state systems to deliver public services in tribal districts as well as investments in critical and basic rural infrastructure, besides supporting emergency reconstruction and rehabilitation of flood protection infrastructure damaged by the 2022 floods.

Infrastructure investments in water supply and sanitation, rural roads, agriculture, and irrigation will be done in a way to strengthen climate-resilience, in the face of increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events in Pakistan.

Meanwhile, task team leader of the project Anna O’Donnell said in addition to investments in critical infrastructure, the project would provide conditional grants to village councils to finance local infrastructure priorities in line with community preferences and women’s priorities.

“It will also ensure that communities are involved in participatory planning, budgeting, monitoring, and improving social accountability systems, while focusing on institutional strengthening and capacity building of village councils,” he said.

Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2023