Tribune News Service
Dehradun, January 23
To end water woes being experienced in several areas of Uttarakhand, the World Bank has agreed to finance water schemes worth Rs 975 crore in 35 semi-urban areas of Dehradun and six other districts. An agreement was signed among the Centre, state government and the World Bank.
A population of over five lakh is expected to benefit once the water schemes are commissioned. Minister for Water Resources Prakash Pant, who was in Delhi for signing the agreement, said the programme would commence in 2018 and end in 2023.
“The proposal was formally presented by the Uttarakhand Government last year and the World Bank agreed to fund us in November 2017. The World Bank will provide us assistance to the tune of Rs 780 crore, while the state will contribute Rs 195 crore as it’s share,” said Pant.
He said around 35 semi-urban areas, which fall in Dehradun, Haridwar, Tehri, Pauri, Nainital, Udham Singh Nagar and Almora, would be part of the programme. These areas were selected based on the 2011 census and their current position in April 2016.
“A population comprising approximately 5.16 lakh will be able to receive between 100 litre/ person to 135 litre/person water in a day. Earlier, it was between 50 litre-75 litre per person per day and around 1,03,244 metered connections will be created,” he said.
The assistance by the World Bank is in the form of loan to be paid by the Centre and the state in the ratio of 90:10, which would not put much burden on the state.