Chitral Times Report
ISLAMABAD: National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF) signed two Grant Implementation Agreements for extending grant financing upto PKR 746.587 million to Government of Gilgit Baltistan (GB) for the projects related to Rescue services and Flood Protection. The agreements’ signing ceremony were held at NDRMF Office Islamabad on Thursday 28th November, 2019. The first Tripartite Grant Implementation Agreement was signed between General Manager, Projects and Operations Group, NDRMF, Mr. Khurram Khaliq Khan, Director General Rescue 1122; GB Emergency Services, Government of GB, Dr. Sher Aziz and Deputy Chief (A&LE), P&D Department, Government of GB, Syed Abrar Hussain. Whereas, the second tripartite Grant Implementation Agreement was signed between General Manager, Projects and Operations Group, NDRMF, Mr. Khurram Khaliq Khan, Secretary, Works Department, Government of GB, Mr. Khadim Hussain Saleem and Deputy Chief (A&LE), P&D Department, Government of GB, Syed Abrar Hussain. The duration of these projects, is twelve months for Rescue 1122 Services and eighteen months for Flood Protection in which various interventions shall be carried out including; Strengthening GB Rescue Services via provision of fire and water vehicles, ambulances, fire motorbikes, rescue/recovery vehicles etc., and Flood Protection Works. These Projects are being undertaken in all 10 districts of GB and are aimed to better protect and make communities resilient to the negative impacts of multiple hazards. The proposed interventions are in line with National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP). The total cost of the Projects, is approximately PKR 1,066.559 million amongst which NDRMF shall contribute grant financing amounting to PKR 746.587 million (PKR 245.035 million for Strengthening GB Rescue Services and PKR 501.552 million for Flood Mitigation) which comes upto 70% of the total projects cost. Whereas, Government of GB’s contribution shall be PKR 319.972 million (PKR 105.015 million for Strengthening GB Rescue Services and PKR 214.956 million for Flood Mitigation) thereby covering approximately 30% projects’ financing. Earlier, NDRMF has also partnered with various Government and Non-Government entities for extending its grant financing to their projects which are focusing on disaster risk reduction and preparedness. NDRMF is committed for reducing the socio-economic and fiscal vulnerability of the country & its population to natural hazards and climate change, through financing investments in disaster risk reduction and preparedness that have high economic impacts. All projects, which NDRMF is grant financing, have undergone through a merit based and transparent process of selection in accordance with a pre-set criteria, while promoting gender equality, along with ensuring environmental and social safeguards. NDRMF has also put in place, a strong monitoring framework to ensure that all the funded projects are implemented in an effective and transparent manner, thereby reducing disaster risks and protecting the local population from disasters.
