KARACHI, Oct 18: Sindh chief secretary Fazalur Rehman on Wednesday stressed the need for expediting all ongoing projects of the Sindh Rural Development Programme (SRDP), so that people of rural areas could be facilitated.

Talking to a delegation of Asian Development Bank (ADB), led by Peter Fedow and Asmat Shahjehan, that called on him at his office, he said it was the responsibility of all factors of management to ensure strict implementation of the SRDP projects, so that problems of poor people of rural areas could be alleviated.

The delegation told the chief secretary about priorities of the ADB regarding the SRDP projects. The issues of labour laws, needs of a farmers, agriculture manpower, construction of district/ village link roads, domestic and international consultancy services, implementation and management, and extension of National Rural Support Program (NRSP) projects were also discussed.

Thoughts were also exchanged over matters like improving coordination between district governments and professional standing committee, revamping of water and sewerage sector, levelling of agricultural land, performance of district offices of revenue and work and services, and singing a MoU.

The chief secretary said the Sindh government and other concerned organizations were taking allout steps to expedite ADB-funded projects and other uplift plans.

He assured the delegation that full cooperation with the donor agencies would be ensured regarding early completion of the uplift projects.

Additional Chief Secretary Local Government Mirza Kareem Baig and other senior officers were also present.—PPI