Karachi: The Asian Development Bank has approved $540 million for Pakistan, which will be spent on institutional reforms, effective governance and major environmental protection projects in Sindh’s backward coastal districts.
Of this fund, $400 million will be spent on restructuring state institutions, fiscal sustainability and digital transformation, while reforms of the National Highway Authority are also part of the programme.
As a second part, $140 million will be spent on flood protection in coastal areas of Sindh, improvement of drainage systems, restoration of mangroves and modern modelling systems, which will play a significant role in protecting local communities from climate disasters.
According to ADB, the project will improve the lives of more than 500,000 people, help restore natural resources consisting of 22,000 hectares of forests and protect 1.5 lakh hectares of agricultural land.
The project will include a $40 million contribution from the Green Climate Fund and 25 percent of the funds will be spent on specific programs for women.
