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KARACHI, Dec 17 (APP):Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday chaired a sector-wise review meeting with a senior World Bank delegation to assess progress, funding and next steps for the province’s development portfolio.
The meeting reviewed Sindh’s active World Bank portfolio comprising 13 projects with a total commitment of $3.8 billion, of which $1.96 billion has been disbursed. A base disbursement target of $700.25 million has been set for 2025–26.
The chief minister reviewed progress on key urban projects, including the Competitive and Livable City of Karachi Project, Karachi Mobility Project and Solid Waste Emergency and Efficiency Project. Of 161 Town Municipal Committee schemes worth $66.7 million, 47 have been completed, with overall physical progress at 61 per cent. Eight KMC schemes worth $19 million are also under implementation.
On the urban property tax survey, officials reported that 3.1 million properties have been enumerated out of an estimated 3.3 million.
Briefing the meeting on business reforms, the CM said the Sindh Business One Stop Shop (SBOSS) Wave-II went live on Nov 28, with 13 of 19 agencies onboarded. So far, 54 regulatory licences and permits have been digitised and 4,089 e-permits issued. The remaining agencies are expected to be integrated by May 2026.
Projects under review included KWSSIP, KWSSIP-II, the Sindh Water & Agriculture Transformation Project and the Sindh Barrages Improvement Project. A technology-led plan dividing Sindh into six WASH zones has been launched, while work on K-IV augmentation has also begun.
Under the SELECT programme, teaching and learning materials for Grades 3 to 5 have been distributed in all targeted schools. The government plans to hand over 45 upgraded schools by January 2026 and a further 150 by April 2026. Progress is being monitored through dashboards and field visits, with delays flagged and mitigation measures initiated.
Reviewing the Sindh Integrated Health & Population Project and the National Health Support Programme, the CM stressed the need to accelerate delivery. Officials reported progress on staff transfers, hiring of community health workers, ambulance relocation and budget disbursement, with several activities scheduled for completion by the end of December.
The Strengthening Social Protection Delivery System in Sindh project was also reviewed. Officials informed the meeting that key specialists have been hired, committees formed for policy recommendations, and the annual work plan aligned with the approved budget.
Progress was reviewed on LIVAQUA, the Sindh Flood Emergency Rehabilitation Project and the Flood Emergency Housing Reconstruction Project. The chief minister emphasised building climate resilience alongside flood recovery.
Concluding the meeting, Murad Ali Shah directed departments to remove bottlenecks, speed up procurement and ensure timely disbursements, stressing that development spending must result in visible improvements in citizens’ lives.