ADB scraps loan to Tripura for NE devpt

Agartala, May 28: Asian Development Bank(ADB) has scrapped a loan, earmarked for NE development, after the Tripura government allegedly showed no interest in signing the Memorandum of Understanding(MoU).

Official sources here today said after the government filed the application in the year 2003, ADB authorities had sent delegations to Agartala and four other state capitals for a project to be completed by 2011.

The government had sought a loan of Rs 700 crore to implement the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission(JNNURM) to develop Agartala and 12 other Nagar Panchayats but did not go ahead because of the high interest rates and terms and conditions involved.

ADB had agreed to provide loan to ensure overall development of the urban facilities, including water supply, sewerage and sanitation, solid and bio-medical waste management, traffic and transportation, electrification in town areas, flood control and slum upgradation and heritage conservation in the towns.

Meanwhile, ADB representatives held 12 round meetings with the officials of the states, which ultimately delayed the project work, official sources alleged.

Along with Agartala, ADB had announced to implement Rs 900 crore projects in Aizwal (Mizoram), Gangtok (Sikkim), Kohima (Nagaland) and Shillong (Meghalaya). The Centre had agreed to allow 90 per cent of the total sanctioned amount as grant and the state would pay only 10 per cent.

UNI