KARACHI, June 18: The Sindh Minster for Local Government, Katchi Abadis and Spatial Development, Mohammad Hussain, said that the ongoing development in the province had attracted the World Bank and Asian Development Bank to fund various projects, enabling the province to execute mega projects without waiting for grants from the federal government.

He said this during a press conference at his office on Monday. Sindh Minister for Planning and Development Shoaib Bukhari was also present.

The LG minister said that the present budget envisaged record outlay of Rs50 billion for the Annual Developmental Programme, which was 614 per cent higher than that of the financial year 2002-03.

Mr Hussain said that the provincial sanitation policy was in the final process and would be presented before the Cabinet in July for approval.

Speaking on the occasion, Shoaib Bukhari said that Rs30,467.823 million had been earmarked for 1,008 ongoing schemes while Rs9,532.178 million for new schemes of the ADP. He said that priority was given to infrastructure development and supply of water. Mr Bukhari said that the construction of Sindh Coastal Highway, new alignment of Super Highway from Ghaghar Phatak to Sehwa and an alternative route from Malir to Umerkot, upgrading of Kheenjer Lake and 1,200 schools in the province were the major projects for the next fiscal year.—PPI