The Scrutiny Committee of second Flood Protection Project on Saturday approved 16 projects pertaining to flood protection in the provinces and directed the federating units to complete the projects by June 2004.
Official sources told Business Recorder here that the scrutiny committee of the 2nd flood project met here with Chief Engineering Advisors in the chair, which approved 16 projects including 10 in Sindh, one in Punjab and 5 in NWFP.
The officials of the provincial irrigation departments federal flood commission and the representative of the bank attended the meeting
Asian Development Bank is providing $100 million for 2nd Flood Protection Project started in 1998 but was delayed due to various reasons.
Sources said that under the 2nd Flood Protection Projects in Sindh Province 26 Projects would be implemented which will cost Rs 226 million.
Sources said that three projects in Sindh have already been approved by the scrutiny committee and are in the implementation stage while the feasibility study of another 13 projects would be carried out after the monsoon season.
The projects approved by the scrutiny committee include embankment of the river and canals sides, stone pitching etc and will be completed by June 2004.
However, sources said that all 16 projects would be implemented after approval of the Central Development Working Party and Economic Co-ordination of the National Economic Council (Ecnec).
ADB has several times showed reservation over the slow pace of the implementation of 2nd Flood Protection Projects and has asked the government to expedite the work otherwise funds would lapse. According to it most of the time the projects had lapsed as disbursement of loan among the provinces was very low.
In the current year PSDP Rs 275 million has been allocated by Federal Government for the 2nd Flood Protection Project and Provinces have also made allocations. Punjab has allocated Rs 800 million, while Sindh Rs 300 million, NWFP Rs 200 million and Balochistan Rs 180 million.
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