World Bank-supported disaster recovery plan discussed in Sirmaur

A meeting of officials from various departments of Sirmaur district was held under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner Priyanka Verma to review the World Bank-supported Resilient Action for Development and Disaster Recovery – Himachal Pradesh (REDi-HP) initiative.

The Deputy Commissioner directed officers to prepare detailed estimates for reconstruction and restoration of infrastructure damaged by natural disasters. She said a World Bank task team had recently visited Shimla and emphasised the need to gather information for potential investment in disaster-hit areas under the REDi-HP programme.

The task team has sought proposals for innovative projects aimed at minimising disaster-related losses. These include construction of pedestrian bridges, schools, community spaces and multipurpose relief centres in disaster-prone zones. The DC stressed that such facilities should serve multiple functions, ensuring both preparedness and resilience in future calamities.

Verma asked officials to submit their estimates at the earliest so that the proposals could be forwarded to the state government for further action. She underlined that timely preparation of these projects would help attract World Bank funding and expedite the process of rebuilding infrastructure across the district.