ADB to support road, energy, urban sector projects

Hyderabad, Mar 9 (UNI) Assuring support to India's efforts to promote sustainable economic growth, Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Haruhiko Kuroda today said bulk of its operations in the country as well as proposed programme for 2006-08 will focus on three core areas of transport, urban and energy infrastructure.

The ADB, which was assisting rural project in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, would soon move forward on second such project for Assam, Orissa and West Bengal, he said while delivering a lecture on ''investing in Infrastructure: Key to Economic growth'' here.

Stating that the Bank was assisting Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh in upgrading their weak road networks, he said similar projects were planned for Uttaranchal, North Eastern states, Jammu and Kashmir and Jharkhand.

Pointing out that ADB had provided a series of loans to assist the first two phases of the National Highway Development Programme, he said ''we are now working with the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to see how best we can help with the subsequent phases wile attracting private participation and investment on BOT basis.

The model Concession Agreement was expected to give a boost to private sector participation in road projects under the programme, he added.

Stating that the Bank's state power sector loans focussed on upgrading transmission, distribution, rural electrification and capacity building of power sector institutions, he informed that programmed assistance to the North Eastern region, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal would complement what was already underway in Assam, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.

The 2006-08 programme would focus on upgrading infrastructure of select cities in the North East, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan and Uttaranchal, he said.

On urban infrastructure, he said the ADB would assist the Centre in implementing the US Dollar 27 billion National Urban Renewal Mission in 63 cities to provide better housing, water and sanitation, and delivery of other basic services such as health and education.

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