World Bank to provide $360 million for UP water project

NEW DELHI: World Bank will provide $360 million loan for development of second phase of water project, including for modernisation of irrigation and drainage systems in Uttar Pradesh.

"An agreement for credit of $ 360 million from World Bank for the Uttar Pradesh Water Sector Restructuring Project Phase-II was signed here yesterday," said a statement by the Finance Ministry.

The closing date for the project is October, 2020. The project objective is to support Uttar Pradesh on capacity building of Water Users Association, rehabilitation and modernisation of irrigation, drainage systems and dams, development of basin river planning strategies, groundwater studies, knowledge base and flood management systems.

It also aims at strengthening the institutional and policy framework for integrated water resources management for the entire state and increase farm productivity and water productivity by supporting farmers in targeted irrigation areas, the statement said.

The agreement was signed by Nilaya Mitash, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Onno Ruhl, Country Director, World Bank.

The project agreement was signed by Deepak Singhal, Principal Secretary, Department of Irrigation, Uttar Pradesh.