The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has appointed 11 foreign and 40 local consultants for carrying out a joint study with Pakistan's Sindh Coastal Development Authority (SCDA) for an integrated coastal zone management master plan in coastal areas of the Sindh province. SCDA Director General Munawar Opel told the reporters that the ADB has committed $50 million (Rs3 billion) in its programme for 2006 under Sindh Coastal and Inland Community Development Project (SCICDP). Opel said that SCDA's study Concept Paper costing Rs48.840 million was approved by Pakistan's central government. ADB's share towards the cost will be Rs30 million while the Sindh government will contribute Rs9.840 million. The investment in projects will be identified on the basis of the subject feasibility study of policy and Institution, Natural Resource Economist; Coastal Resource Coastal Fisheries Infrastructure; Rural Sociologist/Community Development; Gender and Development; Coastal Environment; Rural Infrastructure; Enterprise Development; Farming system/Crop Development; Fisheries/Aquaculture; Coastal Institutions and policy; Geographic Improvement; Alternative Energy; Hydogeologist; Crops; Marine Fisheries and Mangroves development. The ADB's $13.50 million "Supporting Vulnerable Communities in Thatta and Badin" will be another big project for coastal zone of Sindh, based on the "socio-economic" study to be carried out in three years. --more 1520 Local Time 1220 GMT
