GILGIT: The Gilgit-Baltistan government is set to launch a Rs16 billion Climate Resilience Project with the support of international development partners to strengthen climate resilience and improve public infrastructure across the region.
Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan Haji Amjad Hussain was briefed on the project by the Planning and Development Department during a meeting in Gilgit.
According to the briefing, the project will include the construction of climate-resilient and environmentally friendly infrastructure, provision of safe drinking water, development of sewerage systems and easy-access loan schemes for local communities.
Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said Gilgit-Baltistan was highly vulnerable to climate-related disasters, with cloudbursts and flash floods frequently damaging homes and public infrastructure.
He said the provincial government had decided to prioritise the construction of safe and disaster-resilient houses for families whose homes had been damaged or destroyed by natural calamities.
The chief minister said that, with the support of the federal government, a housing colony had been established last year in Bubar for flood-affected families. He added that 200 houses were currently being constructed for disaster-hit families with assistance from the Sindh government.
Haji Amjad Hussain stressed that the rehabilitation of disaster-affected communities and provision of safe shelter must remain a priority amid growing climate risks.
He directed the Planning and Development Department to incorporate a dedicated disaster-resilient housing component into the Climate Resilience Project. He also ordered the department to initiate reconstruction and rehabilitation measures for houses damaged in disaster-prone areas after obtaining formal approval from the relevant steering committee.
For transparent and effective implementation of the Rs16 billion project, the chief minister directed that the appointment of the Project Director be made strictly on merit through a transparent recruitment process.
He stressed that qualified professionals from all relevant disciplines should be given an equal opportunity to compete so that the most competent candidate could be selected to lead the project.
The chief minister said the initiative would not only improve essential public services but would also contribute to economic activity, environmental sustainability and long-term climate resilience in Gilgit-Baltistan.
The project is expected to provide a stronger foundation for climate-resilient development in one of Pakistan’s most vulnerable mountainous regions, where extreme weather events, flash floods and other climate-related hazards pose growing risks to communities and infrastructure.
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