KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, in his meeting with the Director General (Central & West Asia dept) Asian Development Bank Mr. Eugenue Zhukov, said that the World Bank has pledged Rs110 billion against a requirement of Rs1500 billion for the construction of flood-affected houses, therefore the Asian bank may come over to meet the shortfall of the funds.

CM Shah said that the Climate change victims [people] of Sindh have lost around 1.8 million houses during the heavy downpour and floods. He added that the initial estimates showed that RS1500 billion were required to construct 1.8 million houses, according to a handout issued by CM House on Wednesday.

The CM said that the world bank has pledged Rs110 billion ($500 million) against a total requirement of Rs1500 billion. “We shall be thankful if the Asian bank meets the shortfall of Rs1390 billion so that all the homeless people could be provided with shelter/house,” he said.

The visiting ADB DG told the chief minister that they have committed $475 million with the federal government, of which $300 million would be the share of the provincial government for the construction of damaged infrastructure.

Out of $475 million, $100 million would be given to NHA for the reconstruction of the Motorway, from Karachi to Hyderabad.

Murad Ali Shah told Mr. Eugenue that his country in general and the province of Sindh, in particular, has suffered heavy losses due to climate change in which his country’s total contribution in emissions has been recorded at 0.8 percent. He added that the international community and the donor agencies should support us in the rehabilitation of the affected people and infrastructure.

Mr Eugenue said that his bank would give a project to mitigate the effects of climate change in Sindh. The project was under consideration between the ADB and the Sindh Planning & Development department.

The CM told the visiting DG of the ADB that the small roads connecting different villages to the main roads and the cities have been damaged badly. He proposed a project for the rehabilitation of small roads so that the mobility of the people for sake of their livelihood and economy could be ensured.

The CM and the visiting ADB DG also discussed the rehabilitation of provincial roads for which P&D and works departments were working with the bank.