$153 mn World Bank assistance for disaster recovery in 3 Odisha districts

Reported by Chinmaya Dehury

Bhubaneswar, July 11:

The government of India and the World Bank today signed a loan agreement for a World Bank (International Development Association {IDA}) assistance of $ 153 million for ‘Odisha Disaster Recovery Project’ in Puri, Berhampur and Khurdha districts which were the worst affected in the 2013 cyclone Phailin.

The Financing Agreement was signed by Nilaya Mitash, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs on behalf of the Government of India and Michael Haney, Acting Country Director (India), World Bank on behalf of the World Bank.

The Project Agreement was signed byOdisha’s additional chief secretary, Finance Upendra Nath Behera on behalf of the government of Odisha.

According to a PIB press release , the objective of the project is to restore and improve housing and public services in targeted communities of the state and increase the capacity of the state entities to respond promptly and effectively to an eligible crisis of emergency.

About 1,50,000 houses will be re-constructed in the Phailin-hit Ganjam, Puri and Khordha districts. Out of this, about 30,000 houses will be constructed for inhabitants of selected slums in Berhampur, said the release.

The release said that a master plan will be prepared for the entire population of Berhampur Municipal Corporation to protect it from future natural disasters.

A total of the 42 million inhabitants of the state will be benefited from the project in the state, the release stated.

The project will have five components: Resilient Housing Reconstruction and Community Infrastructure; Urban Infrastructure in Berhampur; Capacity Building for Disaster Risk Management; Implementation Support; and Contingent Emergency Response.

The project will be implemented over a period of five years and the Government of Odisha will be the implementing agency, the release added.