World Bank injects $147-bn in urban infrastructure

The Union and the Jharkhand governments have signed a $147 million loan agreement with the World Bank to build basic urban infrastructure and allied services in Jharkhand by improving the management capacity of the urban local bodies (ULBs) in the state. The Jharkhand Municipal Development Project will focus on improving the municipal sector's capacity by investing in urban services such as water supply, sewerage, drainage, and urban roads; and strengthen the capacity of the Jharkhand Urban Infrastructure Development Company (JUIDCO) as well as that of the ULBs to carry out reforms in the areas of urban finance and governance. The GoI recognizes that urbanization and economic growth are interlinked and has initiated a comprehensive road map for municipal reforms through the AMRUT program, said Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Sameer Kumar Khare, adding that over 350,000 urban residents of the participating ULBs are expected to benefit, of which at least 45 percent will be women. Interventions such as piped water supply, storm water drains, climate-friendly road construction and energy efficient street lighting will not just improve urban services but also make them environmentally sustainable.