ADB to finance water supply project in Jharkhand with Rs 831 cr loan
Multilateral funding agency Asian Development Bank (ADB) has okayed an over Rs 831 crore (USD 112 million) loan to finance water supply infrastructure in Jharkhand.
The project will cover four towns in the state, ADB said in a release.
"The project supports the Jharkhand Vision and Action Plan 2021 to improve the quality of life of its urban residents through better quality urban infrastructure," said Sanjay Joshi, Principal Urban Development Specialist for South Asia, ADB.
Water supply in Jharkhand is currently inadequate, with residents receiving only an average 3 to 4 hours daily of water supply. The project will ensure continuous and quality water supply, which will also improve the health and hygiene situation in the area, particularly in post-pandemic scenario, he said.
Under the Jharkhand Urban Water Supply Improvement Project, which covers Hussainabad, Jhumri Telaiya, Medininagar and Ranchi, four water treatment plants will be constructed with a combined capacity of 275 million litres per day.
It will provide clean drinking water, meeting the national drinking water quality standards, ADB said.
The project will establish 940 kilometres of water distribution network to provide continuous water supply to about 115,000 households, including those below the poverty line, scheduled caste and scheduled tribe members, and other vulnerable groups.
The cost of the project is USD 160 million, of which USD 48 million will be financed by the state government of Jharkhand. The project is expected to be completed in 2028.
It will also ensure sustainability by strengthening the capacity of urban local bodies (ULBs) on urban service delivery and governance. The staff of ULBs and other state urban institutions will be trained on design and implementation of urban projects.
It will cover various other aspects such as response to climate risks, inclusion of gender equality, and institutional development, it added.
ADB said innovative technologies will be introduced in the project design to minimize water losses in water treatment and distribution.
The project also includes use of a supervisory control and data acquisition system for water supply operation, and geographic information system-based asset management in Ranchi.
"The project aims to establish a model for continuous water supply combined with policy reforms and a contractual framework for sustainable operation, which can be replicated by other low-income states in India, including for the recently launched national Jal Jeevan mission for providing water to all urban households," ADB said.