Govt gears up efforts to implement Rs 110b post-flood reconstruction package for Balochistan.

ISLAMABAD -- The federal government has geared up its efforts to implement Rs 110 billion (USD 400 million) post-flood rehabilitation and reconstruction package for Balochistan as the first formal Steering Committee meeting of the Post-Flood 2022 Reconstruction and Rehabilitation project was held on Friday.

The meeting was co-chaired by the Federal Minister for Planning Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal and Provincial Ministers for Finance and Planning on the behalf of Chief Minister Balochistan and attended by the Secretary Ministry of Water Resources, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Planning, representatives from Economic Affairs Division, provincial representatives of Balochistan and other stakeholders.

The Minister for Planning, Ahsan Iqbal, highlighted that the socio-economic development of Balochistan had remained a top priority of the PDM government since coming into power in April last year. The Minister noted that the efforts of the Government were disrupted by the devastating floods, which hit the poorest regions of the country hardest especially Balochistan.

In the wake of the devastating floods, the provincial Government lacked the financial resources to support post-flood rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts. The Federal Government obtained a loan from the World Bank and is spending this amount on post-flood rehabilitation and livelihood enhancement in Balochistan as a grant.

The Minister for Planning and Minister for Finance from the Government of Balochistan appreciated the efforts of the Federal Government for taking special interest in the development of Balochistan and for mobilizing loans for financing post-flood work in Balochistan. They emphasized the fiscal challenges faced by the provincial government and thanked the federal government for...