The Board of Directors of the National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF) approved 10 projects on Monday for disaster risk reduction costing Rs4.9 billion, including a grant of Rs3.6bn. According to an official statement, these projects will be implemented by the irrigation departments of Punjab, Sindh, Gilgit-Baltistan, Communications and Works Department of Azad Kashmir, Pakistan Meteorological Department, Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund, and Muslim Aid Pakistan. The projects will include activities related to Flood Protection Works, Tsunami & Earthquake Early Warning System, Landslide Control Management, Emergency Response Services, Weather Radar System, Drought Mitigation and Community-based Disaster Risk Management.
The NDRMF plans on financing Rs. 3.606Bn while the remaining Rs. 1.318bn shall be made available by the government and non-government entities. These projects are anticipated to protect vulnerable communities while enhancing Pakistan’s resilience to natural and climatic hazards. The fund has already approved about Rs. 2.5bn worth of disaster risk reduction schemes early this year, making total cost of new projects launched this year to over Rs7.5bn.