World Bank approves $5mn grant for Balochistan

ISLAMABAD: The World Bank (WB) announced the approval of a US$ 5 million grant from Khyber-Pakhthunkhwa, Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Balochistan Multi- Donor Trust Fund (MDTF) for the Balochistan Disaster Management Project (BDMP), which will strengthen the capacity of Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Balochistan to prepare for, and respond to, natural disasters.

"Balochistan has suffered enormously following the drought in 2002, the cyclone in 2007, and the flooding in 2010 and 2011. This project will allow PDMA Balochistan to better prepare for future disasters and lessen the losses through improved mitigation and response," said Tahir Munir Menhas, Director General PDMA Balochistan in a press release issued here on Thursday.

The Government of Pakistan requested MDTF to respond to the increasingly difficult situation in the province resulting from the 2010 and 2011 floods. As the administrator of the MDTF, the World Bank will help the Government of Balochistan in post-disaster recovery, reconstruction and expertise in Disaster Risk Management (DRM) institutional building.

Reiterating the World Bank's commitment towards supporting disaster management in Balochistan, Rachid Benmessaoud, World Bank Country Director for Pakistan said, "Through this MDTF Grant, the institutional capacity of PDMA Balochistan will be strengthened, and the awareness and resilience of the communities of Balochistan to hazards and disasters would be enhanced."

Through this support, a Hazard and Risk Assessment of the Provincial Capital will also be conducted and a Community Based Disaster Risk Management Program developed. The project also has a Contingency Emergency Response Component.