ISLAMABAD: The National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF) will fund Rs3.011 billion to the Provincial Irrigation Department Sindh’s project titled, ‘Building Resilience of Damaged Flood Mitigation Structures’ along River Indus in Sindh Resilience and Adaptive Population in Disaster (RAPID).
In this connection, a contract signing ceremony was held here on Friday. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) NDRMF Bilal Anwar and Abdullah Bhurgri, project director of Flood Emergency and Reconstruction Projects Sindh Irrigation Department signed the contract.
The financial support would help the provincial government to ensure its rehabilitation and reconstruction of flood schemes in Sindh. The financial support would be extended to the respective entities as grant financing. However, the grant implementation agreement between the NDRMF and the Irrigation Department, Sindh, was signed in this regard.
Sindh was the worst-affected province during floods in 2022. A total of 10 million people were affected in 30 districts. The worst-affected areas remained inundated for months due to the absence of natural drainage pathways leaving behind a vast magnitude of damaged public infrastructure, agricultural land and houses of people, requiring extensive medium to long-term rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts. The proposed interventions are in line with the National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP).
The project is designed for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of four schemes that received major damages and losses during the monsoon floods in 2022 in districts, Shaheed Benazirabad, NausheroFeroze, Sujawal, and Matiari, and needed rehabilitation on an urgent basis as any flooding of similar nature may cause damages to life and property.
Following are the details of the projects (i) Stone apron and stone pitching along SM Bund from Mile 70/7 to 72/0 in Moro Bund Sub Division. (ii) Rehabilitation and reconstruction of Stud/Apron along SM Bund at Mile 12/0 to 12/7 and Bakhri Loop Bund Mile 0/0 to 0/1 in Kandiaro Bund Sub Division (iii) Rehabilitation, raising and strengthening of spurs along Surjani Complex Bund Sujawal of Pinyari Circle Hyderabad Kotri Barrage Region Hyderabad and (iv) Recouping of Stone Spurs Mile 142/3 and Stone Studs Mile 136/1 Along SM Bund in Hala (Irrigation) Division Hala.
With 578,000 targeted beneficiaries and protecting 127,476 hectares of agricultural land against the negative impacts of multiple natural disasters.
The NDRMF finances up to 70 percent of eligible projects’ costs while 30 percent of the total project cost is borne by the fund implementing partners.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023