Government of India, ADB sign $125 million loan agreement to improve urban services in Assam
(source : ANI) ( Photo Credit : ani)
India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have teamed up on a big push to improve city life in Assam. On Monday, they signed a $125 million loan deal to upgrade urban services in six district headquarters—Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Dhubri, Goalpara, Golaghat, and Nalbari—plus the bustling city of Guwahati.
Juhi Mukherjee, a joint secretary in India’s Ministry of Finance, inked the deal for the government. Mio Oka, ADB’s country director for India, signed on behalf of the bank. This Assam Urban Sector Development Project aims to help 360,000 people get reliable, metered water around the clock. It also boosts stormwater systems to fight flooding and builds stronger urban governance through training and reforms.
At the heart of the project are major upgrades to water infrastructure. Teams will build six new water treatment plants that can handle 72 million liters a day. They’ll lay down 800 kilometers of pipelines across those districts to ensure clean water reaches homes and businesses. A smart, real-time monitoring system will keep water loss low—targeting non-revenue water below 20%.
In Guwahati, the focus turns to the Bahini Basin, where floods often hit hard. The plan includes flood diversion channels, better drainage networks, and a nature-based retention pond. These steps will cut flood risks, recharge groundwater, and make the area more resilient to heavy rains.
The project goes beyond pipes and ponds. It sets up the Assam State Institute for Urban Development in partnership with the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati to train local experts. Towns will get a GIS-based property tax database, digital billing for water, and a pay-by-use tariff system. All this should make services more efficient and financially sustainable.
A key highlight: empowering women and girls. The initiative trains women’s self-help groups to handle water operations, offers internships to college-aged women, and runs school programs to teach kids about water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). These efforts aim to create lasting change in Assam’s communities.
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