WB willing to give Rs 5,000 cr loan for irrigation projects in Mah

Nagpur, Nov 4 (UNI) The World Bank (WB) has expressed its willingness to extend a loan of Rs 5,000 crore for irrigation projects in Maharashtra, according to Water Resources Minister Ajit Pawar.

Addressing a news conference here yesterday, Mr Pawar said this was in addition to the credit of Rs 25,000 crore that the Bank had indicated it would lend for the development of infrastructure in Mumbai.

WB representatives were impressed with the presentation made by his department and had asked officials of the state government to prepare a detailed proposal, the Minister said.

The state government had decided to spend Rs 16,345 crore in addition to the budgetary allocation to complete irrigation projects in Maharashtra, he said, adding that the amount would be raised through government securities.

Mr Pawar said the amount would be disbursed over the next three years according to the Governor's directives to remove developmental backlog in various regions of the state. This would include Rs 1,151 crore for Tapi valley, Rs 3,145 crore for Krishna Valley, Rs 1,098 crore for Konkan, Rs 6,956 crore for Vidarbha and Rs 3,294 for Marathwada.

The amount was for the projects undertaken by various irrigation development corporations as well as by the water resources department of the state government, he added.

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