Islamabad: The World Bank has approved a $240 million loan for Pakistan, which will be used for the second phase of Karachi Water and Sewerage Services Improvement Project.
According to a statement issued by the World Bank, the project will help in improving water supply, wastewater treatment and reuse, and will also expand the scope of investment in water distribution and sewerage network rehabilitation.
About half of the beneficiaries of this project will be women, with 58 percent of youth aged 15 to 24 and more than 500,000 slum dwellers benefiting from the project.
The World Bank says that safe and organized services are the foundation of public health and quality of life. These services play a key role in solving the malnutrition crisis in Pakistan. This project will provide safe water to about 16 million people in Karachi by 2030.
The World Bank said in a statement that the project will also provide sanitation services to 7.5 million people, promote private sector participation in service delivery, and close the gender gap in employment, representation, and leadership in the sewerage corporation.
According to the World Bank, the project will help recruit women to technical and decision-making positions, institutionalize an internship program for female graduates, and create pathways for women to find employment in the utility.
