PESHAWAR: A team of World Bank, currently visiting Pakistan, has expressed interest in collaborating with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Chashma Right Bank Lift Canal (CRBC) and Peshawar-Dera Ismail Khan Motorway.

CRBC lift-cum-gravity project was approved in 1991 and its feasibility study was undertaken by Japanese consultants with the financial assistance of Japan International Cooperation Agency in 1995.

The PC-I of the project was considered by Central Development Working Party(CDWP) in 2005 that got conditional approval and was updated and considered again in 2008 but returned for updating.

In 2016, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and federal governments signed a memorandum of understanding, declaring that the feasibility study would be re-conducted while the centre and the province would finance the project at a ratio of 65:35.

The operation, maintenance and recurring costs of the project will be borne by the province.

In June 2022, when CDWP approved CRBC, the then provincial government said that the project would be a gamechanger for the development of southern districts. However, it said that approval of the `important project` took 32 years.

On Sunday, a statement said that the World Bank delegation, led by its vice presidentfor South Asia Martin Raiser, expressed interest in the project during a meeting with Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur at Pakhtunkhwa House, Islamabad.

It said that the meeting focused on various ongoing public welfare projects supported by World Bank in health, communications, tourism, hydropower, water resources and rural development sectors.

It added that both the parties explored new opportunities to expand collaboration between the provincial government and World Bank.

Briefing the meeting about the World Bank-assisted development projects in the province, officials said that work was in progress on various schemes worth $1.9 billion in various sectors. The visiting team also shared details of the institution`s country partnership framework for Pakistan with the chief minister.During the meeting, Mr Gandapur highlighted the provincial government`s vision for poverty alleviation, social protection and human capital development.

He appreciated World Bank`s cooperation in public welfare initiatives and highlighted his government`s commitment to implementing projects with long-term impacts on the province`s development. He reiterated the provincial government`s focus on encouraging private sector investment and partnerships to accelerate economic growth and create employment opportunities.

The statement said that the participants of the meeting held a detailed discussion on the implementation of CRBC and Peshawar-Dera Ismail Khan Motorway projects. It added that the chief minister underscored the significance of the proposed motorway, describing it a critical initiativenotonlyforthe province butfor the entire country`s economic development.

Mr Gandapur also highlighted the importance of CRBC for the province`s food security, reaffirming his government`s commitment to those flagship projects.

He assured the World Bank delegation of his government`s intent to strengthen collaboration in social sectors and vowed to address any hurdle hindering progress of ongoing projects.

He said that provincial government viewed World Bank`s support as an essential component of its development strategy and was determined to enhance the partnership for the betterment of the region.

MNA Faisal Amin Gandapur, the additional chief secretary of planning and development, Ikramullah Khan, and other officials were also present on the occasion.