WB to support agro-based industry in India

Patna, Jan 12 (PTI) World Bank President Robert BZoellick today said the international financial body willextend support to help the growth of the agriculture sector,particularly agro-based industry, in India.

"I shall be holding a meeting with Finance MinisterPranab Mukherjee and other officials during my stay and helpsupport agriculture, particularly the agro-based sector, inIndia," he told reporters on the sidelines of a function wherehe signed an agreement with the Bihar government on the KosiRecovery Project.

He said the other key sectors where the World Bank wouldlend support were infrastructure, urban development andenvironment.

With regard to the World Bank-sponsored Bihar RuralLivelihoods Project in seven districts of Bihar, Zoellick saidthe global organisation may expand the project to moredistricts in the state.

To a query, he said the World Bank had a specificmechanism for monitoring projects aided by it and the sameyardstick would be adopted for supervising and monitoring theUSD 220 million Bihar Kosi Recovery Project.