World Bank to provide $84 million credit for Bihar panchayat project

NEW DELHI: World Bank today inked a $84 million credit agreement with the Centre for the Bihar Panchayat Strengthening Project.

The agreement was signed by Nilaya Mitash, Joint Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs on behalf of the government and Michael Haney, Operations Advisor of the World Bank, India on behalf of the World Bank, an official statement said.

On behalf of government of Bihar, Amitabh Verma, Principal Secretary, Department of Panchayati Raj, signed the documents.

"The objective of the project is to support the state government in promoting inclusive, responsive and accountable gram panchayats in six districts- Patna, Nalanda, Bhojpur, Saharsa, Supaul and Madhepura," it said.

Successful experimentation and learning in these six districts can be scaled up to other districts under other government programmes, it said.

The project will include development of Gram Panchayat Sarkar Bhawan; capacity building for gram panchayats; strengthening the state government capacity to manage a gradual decentralisation and empowerment process; panchayat performance grant and project management and coordination.

The closing date for the project is December 2017, it said.