World Bank rates Sindh flood relief project progress as satisfactory

ISLAMABAD: The World Bank has rated both the progress towards achieving the Project Development Objectives (PDO) and the Overall Implementation Progress (IP) of the Sindh Flood Emergency Rehabilitation Project (SFERP) as satisfactory, citing strong execution and wide-ranging benefits for flood-affected communities across Sindh.

According to World Bank’s latest Implementation Status & Results Report, the project has benefited more than 7.2 million people, including approximately 3.4 million women, through the rehabilitation of critical infrastructure damaged by the devastating 2022 floods.

The report notes that components implemented by the Sindh Irrigation Department (SID) have fully completed all civil works under the original financing. These include the rehabilitation of flood protection infrastructure and the construction of flood detention dams, significantly enhancing flood resilience in vulnerable areas.

Similarly, the Planning and Development Department (P&DD) has completed major investments under its component, restoring 138 roads spanning about 821 kilometers and 483 water supply and drainage schemes, thereby improving connectivity and access to essential services in flood-affected districts.

Under the Rescue 1122 component, 16 satellite rescue stations have been completed and made operational, while construction of the remaining district-level stations is nearing completion. This progress is expected to further strengthen emergency response capacity across the province.

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The World Bank also noted that implementation under the Additional Financing is progressing well, supporting further investments aimed at consolidating and expanding the project’s development impact.

The project’s development objectives are twofold: to rehabilitate damaged infrastructure and provide short-term livelihood opportunities in selected flood-affected areas of Sindh, and to strengthen the Government of Sindh’s capacity to respond effectively to climate change and natural hazards.

On the financial side, disbursement under IDA-72500 stands at an impressive 99.89 percent, with US$517.09 million disbursed out of a revised allocation of US$535.42 million. Meanwhile, IDA-77800 has recorded 41.08 percent disbursement, with US$60.13 million released to date.

Key project data shows that IDA-72500 was approved on December 19, 2022, became effective on January 10, 2023, and its closing date has been revised to June 30, 2028, allowing additional time to maximize project outcomes and ensure long-term resilience for flood-affected communities in Sindh.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026