Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and USAID/ Pakistan Mission Director Mr. Reed Aeschliman after thorough discussions and deliberations agreed to launch a `Green Cooperation’ programme for flood-affected growers and work together for the reconstruction of damaged houses, and school buildings and strengthening healthcare in the flood-hit areas.
The meeting was held here at CM House and was attended by Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput, Chairman P&D Hassan Naqvi, Secretary to CM Raheem Shaikh, CEO of Peoples Housing Project Khalid Shaikh.
The USAID Country chief was accompanied by Acting Deputy Mission Director Mr. Xerses Sidhwa and Acting Consul General Mr. Liam O’Flanagan.
The chief minister told the visiting USAID Pakistan Director that the unprecedented and devastating floods and rains killed 800 persons, injured 8,422, damaged 2,044,844 houses, perished 436,435 livestock, washed away crops standing over 3,777,272 acres, damaged 19808 school buildings, and 1045 health facilities and caused Rs95 billion losses and damages to the irrigation system.
Murad Ali Shah said that the total financing needs for Sindh were Rs1,688 Billion ($7.860 billion) which was 48.30 percent of the total needs estimated.
He added that if cross-provincial estimates were truncated (only province-specific needs are considered), then Sindh’s needs were 67.60 percent of the total province-specific needs estimates.
The CM said that financing pledged by donors to date was about Rs. 379.56 billion which showed a financing gap of at least Rs. 1,308.44 billion.
He added that the significant gap could not be met by the local resources in ‘stressed’ economic conditions.
The USAID/Pakistan Mission Director Mr. Reed Aeschliman said that his organization was ready to help growers by providing them support for the purchase of seeds, pesticides, and urea so that they could start their cultivation. He also seeds that the water courses could also be repaired.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah and Sindh Energy Minister Imtiaz Shaikh attended the groundbreaking ceremony at KE’s KKI Grid.
This is the 73rd grid in KE’s network and provides a link with the National Grid, giving Karachi further access to additional affordable electricity.
This is also in line with KE’s ongoing commitment to improve the reliability and stability of its infrastructure. CEO Siemens, Markus Strohmeier, spokesperson Sindh Gov Murtaza Wahab and other senior representatives of the Sindh Government were also present along with KE’s senior leadership.
The KKI Grid will be the third interconnection between the utility and the National Grid. In total, these interconnections will be capable of channeling up to 2050 MW of electricity towards Karachi in the coming decade.
Acknowledging KE’s commitment to the megacity, the honorable Chief Minister, Murad Ali Shah remarked, “When we sit together and work on the challenges, solutions are found. We should move forward with this spirit for the betterment of the common man. Sindh Government is working closely with KE to ensure that our province and its major cities thrive.
The KKI Grid will promote industrial development in Karachi and boost economic activities in the megacity and adjacent areas while generating more jobs and provide opportunities to take the economy further. 500 kV or high voltage grids are massive-scale projects, but KE is using advanced technology which is enabling them to construct the grid in an innovative and efficient manner.
