ADB approves $270 million for Madhya Pradesh urban services improvement project

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a 270 million dollar (about Rs 1,988 crore) loan for the construction of water supply and integrated storm water and sewage management infrastructure in Madhya Pradesh.

The loan is an additional financing intended to scale up the scope of the Madhya Pradesh urban services improvement project which was approved in 2017 with a 275 million dollar loan.

It will expand the outcome of the current project by benefiting an additional 1.85 lakh households consisting of about 13 lakh people.

The project will receive support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, specifically for the integration of citywide inclusive station principles into the planning, design, implementation, operation and maintenance of the station sub-projects.

"ADB's support is aligned with the vision of Madhya Pradesh state government to improve urban infrastructure services with universal coverage of piped water supply in all urban local bodies by 2025," said Laxmi Sharma, ADB's Urban Development Specialist for South Asia.

"Through inclusive water and station services to the urban poor, the project will help achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6 or access to clean water and station for all," she said in a statement on Friday.

As in the previous loan, the project will support the continued institutional strengthening and capacity building of the Urban Development and Housing Department and Madhya Pradesh Urban Development Company Ltd.

The project will pilot an integrated urban development approach to improve urban service delivery and infrastructure of two urban local bodies.

ADB's technical support will provide a significant model that can be used to replicate and scale up the enhancement of urban livability in other localities.

( With inputs from ANI )