World Bank to bear 80 per cent cost of dam rehab project

Salem, Jan 14 (PTI) Eighty per cent of the cost involvedin the project to renovate, desilt and upgrade security at the104 dams in Tamil Nadu would be borne by the World Bank, asenior state government official said today.

R Thanavel, the Public Works Department Secretary, whoinspected the Mettur Stanley Reservoir here, spoke about theWorld Bank''s decision last year to grant Rs 746 crores forthe dam rehabilitation project.

He said that while the World Bank would bear 80 per centof the cost of the project, the Tamil Nadu government wouldbear the rest.

Of the 104 dams in Tamil Nadu, 66 dams are maintained bythe PWD department while 38 are cared for by the Tamil NaduElectricity Board, he said.

Thanavel added that about Rs 470 crore would be spent onrenovation and strengthening and security of the damsmaintained by the PWD.

About Rs 260 crore would be spent on the dams cared forby the TNEB, he said.