The NWFP government has approached the Federal government to seek alternate arrangements for financing the National Drainage Programme, which was discontinued due to the World Bank and IDA's refusal to extend financial co-operation for this project. It may be mentioned here that the National Drainage Programme is an umbrella project that continued till 31st December 2004 simultaneously in all the four provinces of the country.

After the end of the stipulated period of the project the need for its continuation was being felt, therefore, the government asked the donor agencies - Asian Development Bank, World Bank and IDA - to extend the completion date up to 31st December 2006.

The Asian Development Bank acceded to the request for extension of the period whereas the World Bank and IDA refused to do so.

It may be mentioned here that refusal for extension in the project pertained to all the four provinces and the federal government. Due to the refusal for extension in the project, the Sindh and Balochistan provinces were badly affected as their cases involved a huge investment.

Some newspapers have wrongly criticised the NWFP government for the World Bank and IDA's refusal to extend the project.

The criticism in this respect is out of place and illogical. The government has approached the federal government and is also on the lookout for other donor agencies to resume the project.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2005