Karachi: The Sindh government plans to initiate development work on the ‘Competitive & Liveable City of Karachi (CLICK)’ in 2020, and complete it within five years’ timeframe – a news source reported. The provincial government has collaborated with the World Bank to complete this protect at a cost of PKR 33.6 billion.
Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah recently held a meeting with a two-member WB delegation to discuss the project. The CLICK project would support the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), all six District Municipal Corporations (DMCs), District Council Karachi, and the Excise and Taxation department. The project would also assist the provincial investment department in taking positive measures for ease of doing business initiatives.
CM Murad said that the government would also focus on capacity building of local bodies concerned for property tax collection under this project. As per reports, the project comprises three major components for which the authorities concerned have announced the following funds:
USD 120 million for performance-based block grants to Karachi’s urban local councils
USD 30 million for supporting urban immovable property tax reform, and institutional capacity building
USD 50 million for strategic infrastructure investment, and capacity building in integrated storm-water drainage and solid waste management
The Local Government (LG) department would serve as the main coordinating agency for the CLICK project. Additionally, the government would set up a Project Management Unit (PMU) to ensure overall coordinating and required technical assistance to Karachi’s local councils.
The provincial government has appointed the KMC, the Karachi Water & Sewerage Board (KWSB), the DMCs, and the Excise and Taxation department as the project’s executing agencies. These bodies will work on the project as per their respective components under the arrangement set up for the project.
