Tatsat Chronicle Magazine

ADB loans to Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand For Housing and Water-Sanitation

The loans to boost water supply and sanitation in Uttarakhand and affordable housing in Tamil Nadu
December 8, 2021
Image Credit - Pexels

The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed a $125 million loan to improve access to safe and affordable drinking water supply and citywide inclusive sanitation services in Dehradun and Nainital cities in Uttarakhand. India and ADB have also signed a $150 million loan to provide affordable housing for the urban poor in Tamil Nadu

Rajat Kumar Mishra, Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, signed for the Government of India the agreement for the Uttarakhand Integrated and Resilient Urban Development Project and Takeo Konishi, Country Director of ADB’s India Resident Mission, signed for ADB. Mishra said that the improved water and sanitation services will promote better hygiene practices and help protect people from future pandemic and epidemic diseases. “Computerised maintenance and management systems will be introduced to advance the system operation and asset management while ensuring users’ satisfaction,” added Konishi.

Many innovative solutions like soak pit reuse and utilisation for groundwater recharging, bus mobile toilets with gender-sensitive and inclusive design features, rainwater harvesting, and compact design and prefabricated sewage treatment facilities will enhance the climate resilience of the Uttarakhand project. “The project will provide access to affordable housing infrastructure and services to vulnerable and disadvantaged households and catalyse private sector investment in affordable housing”, he added.

A portion of ADB’s assistance will be invested by the state government as equity into the Tamil Nadu Shelter Fund to catalyse private sector financing and support investments mainly in industrial housing and working women’s hostels for low-income and migrant workers.