World Bank’s role in rehabilitation hailed

WB’s Review Mission visits Erra office

ISLAMABAD: A high-level World Bank mission visited Erra where they were given a detailed update on utilisation of funds by Erra. The mission headed by Raja Rehan comprised of procurement, social sector, disaster risk reduction and finance specialists, who also met the chairman Erra, Hamid Yar Hiraj, and deputy chairman Erra, Lt Gen Haroon Aslam.

World Bank has been one of the major partners in reconstruction and rehabilitation activities after the 2005 earthquake, specially, the rural housing program which is a success, and also in supporting Erra rural housing, livelihood cash grant and capacity building programs.
Appreciating the role of donors and sponsors and specifically of World Bank, chairman Erra appreciated the technical support provided by World Bank, which Hiraj said was one of the catalysts in successfully achieving reconstruction goals.
Terming World Bank and Erra partnership as an example to turn disaster into opportunity, deputy chairman Erra Lt Gen Haroon said Erra and World Bank partnership spreads over five years and the efforts to mainstream disaster risk reduction into Erra strategies was made possible by World Banks proactive support for capacity building and Erra DRR program.

World Bank team highly appreciated Erra’s efforts and emphasised the need for mainstreaming disaster risk management and building capacity of the government to cope with future disasters.Later talking to media Hiraj said that while Erra is playing a key role in reconstruction of earthquake affected areas, rehabilitation of affectees of Balakot remains a priority.
In this regard Hiraj is likely to meet Chief Minister KPK in coming days to jointly resolve the land issue with locals.
Erra has already paid an amount of Rs1.5 billion for purchase of land, and all affectees of old Balakot who have been provided with moveable prefab houses, will be adjusted in new Balakot, where work on one block has already started. -Agencies