ADB loan for urban development in Uttarakhand

Dehra Dun: Uttarakhand government has inked an agreement for a Rs 2,500 crore urban development project with Asian Development Bank (ADB) to improve the civic facility in the state.

The Uttarakhand Urban Sector Investment Programme, would get Rs 1,750 crore as loan from ADB to improve civic facilities in the state, while the remaining amount of Rs 750 crore would be contributed by the state government, Urban Development Minister Diwakar Bhatt told reporters here.

The loan from the ADB would be provided to the state through the central government, he said. However, Uttarakhand would get 90 per cent of the amount as grant and 10 per cent as loan as the state enjoys the special category status, Bhatt added.

The minister said the project, which would be implemented in 31 towns including Dehra Dun, Nainital and Haridwar, which will improve the civic facilities like drinking water, solid waste management, slum development, transport and sewage system, would be executed by Urban Development Department through a society called 'Uttarakhand Urban Sector Development Agency'.

The project would be completed in four phases till the year 2016, Bhatt said, adding that ADB has already released Rs 300 crore for the Rs 428.50 crore first phase of the project.

Besides, the centre has alloted Rs 205 crore under Jawahar Lal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission to improve basic facilities in Dehra Dun, Nainital and Haridwar, Bhatt added.