Srinagar: A three-member team of the World Bank has appreciated the J&K government and the J&K Economic Reconstruction Agency for bringing around a “dramatic turnaround” in the implementation of the World Bank funded Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project (JTFRP), an official press release informed Friday.
According to the release, Abhas Jha, Practice Manager (Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management) South Asia Region, World Bank, during a meeting held at SKICC Srinagar here today to review the progress of World Bank funded $250 million JTFRP said: “I have seen that JKERA as an organisation has certainly done something beyond the call of duty to bring dramatic turnaround in the project implementation.”
He added that excellent job has been done by JKERA under the various sectors of health, disaster management, education, livelihoods, etc., “which will have long-term positive impact for many generations to come.”
Dr. Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, Chief Executive Officer, JKERA while briefing the World Bank team about the latest progress of the project said that under the various components of JTFRP an expenditure of Rs 921 crore has been made till date.
He added that despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-2021, the project has shown a remarkable turnaround in the implementation. He added that during the last two years 90 percent of procurement and 80 percent of disbursements have been undertaken in the project.
Earlier in the day the World Bank team visited the Composite Market Centre for Silk at Rajbagh and Composite Market Centre for Wool at Bemina, Srinagar which have been completed under the World Bank funded JTFRP under the component of Strengthening of Livelihoods.
The team was informed about the vital role played by the two sub-projects in the revitalisation of the traditional wool and silk industry in J&K. It was said that various latest weaving and processing equipment procured under the project for these factories has given a big boost in production of quality silk and wool products and has directly benefited more than 15,000 families associated with these two sectors, the press release said.
It said the team visited the Headquarters of the Fire & Emergency Services at Batamallo were the senior officers of the F&ES informed that team that three different types of fire-tenders and latest fire rescue equipment worth Rs 14.48 crores have been received from the Project Management Unit of JTFRP.
It was added that these include 17 multipurpose fire-tenders, nine regular fire-tenders, 17 medium weight quick response vehicles which has considerably increased the capacity of the F&ES in quickly controlling the accidental fire incidents in the UT.
Mock drill and live demonstration of these various fire rescue equipment – hydraulic spreader cutter/combi tools, fire entry suits, fire proximity suits, etc., was made before the visiting team, the press release informed.
During the visit to the under-construction additional block at Bones & Joints Hospital, Barzulla, the team was briefed about the salient features of the state of art 120 bedded hospital which is being constructed at a cost of Rs 89 crores under the World Bank funded JTFRP.
