KARACHI: The Sindh government and the World Bank (WB) on Thursday agreed on the urgent need to expedite the implementation of WB-funded projects, including the Karachi Water & Sewerage Services Improvement Project (KWSSIP), aimed at enhancing water supply and sanitation services in the metropolis.

At a meeting with Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and his team, the 10-member WB delegation led by Country Director Mr Najy Benhassine expressed strong support and pledged to facilitate swift approvals and provide technical assistance to overcome bottlenecks.

According to a statement issued by the CM House, the collaborative effort between the Sindh government and the WB marks a pivotal step in advancing sustainable development, improving public services and uplifting the quality of life for millions across the province.

The meeting was held to review progress on the major WB-funded projects and both sides agreed on the urgent need to accelerate implementation to ensure the timely delivery of benefits to the targeted populations across the province.

The chief minister was accompanied by Health Minister Dr Azra Pechuho, Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani, Chairman of Planning & Development Najam Shah and Special Assistant to the CM Sarfraz Rajpar. The WB team included Operations Officer Hina Salim Lotia, Practice Manager Josses Mugabi, Disaster Management Specialist Ms Lesley Jeanne Yu and others.

Building on the success of Phase I, KWSSIP-II aims to scale up water and sanitation services across Karachi.

The Sindh government side pointed out that a newly drafted project operational manual (POM) had been submitted to the WB for approval.

The POM defines policies, procedures and an updated organisational structure for the project implementation unit (PIU), which will recruit specialised consultants in environment, social safeguards, gender, finance, procurement, occupational health and safety, technical operations, communication, monitoring and evaluation, GIS and IT.

With a budget of Rs61.6 billion, this ambitious project aims to rehabilitate and upgrade 392 government dispensaries and 121 basic health units, significantly improving access to essential health services. The initiative also emphasises women’s empowerment through skill development and microfinance.

The meeting was informed that a roadshow for potential contractors was scheduled for May 19, 2025, following the completion of the first phase of health facility surveys.

Mr Shah told the meeting that targeting the most vulnerable communities in 15 rural districts, this Rs48.3 billion programme had already enrolled over 622,000 beneficiaries.

He said it featured real-time payment services and newly established operational offices to ensure efficient delivery of social protection benefits. This system complements the health project by addressing socio-economic upliftment comprehensively.

The meeting was told that the $400 million Sindh Transformational Accelerated Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene Services (Star Wash) project of the WB — potentially supported by an additional $300 million from the Asian Development Bank — focused on improving rural water, sanitation and hygiene in nine districts.

It was informed that seed funding, recruitment and operational setup had been stalled, threatening project timelines and international confidence. The Sindh government proposed high-level engagement with the WB and provisional fund allocation to revive momentum.

The chief minister emphasised the government’s dedication to fast-tracking these projects, highlighting their transformative potential for Sindh’s health, water, sanitation and social protection sectors.

Published in Dawn, May 16th, 2025