Guwahati: The first state review of the ongoing Externally Aided Projects in Assam was taken up here on Monday, an official statement said.
The discussion was attended by PP Varma, Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Assam, HS Das, Principal Secretary, Finance Department, Hun Kim, Country Director, ADB, Puneet Agarwal, Director (ADB), Government of India, besides a host of senior officials from the State Government, Government of India, ADB, IFAD, World Bank, IFC & CAAA.
Extensive review was undertaken on nine projects -Assam Governance & Public Resource Management Project, Assam Power Sector Enhancement Projects-1,2,3, Assam Integrated Flood and River Bank Erosion Risk Management Project 1, North Eastern State Roads Investment Programme -Project 1, Rural Roads Sector-II Projects 3 & 4, Assam Urban Infrastructure Investment-Project 1, Assam Agricultural Competitiveness Project, Assam State Roads Project and NE Region Community Resources Management Projects for Upland Areas -II.
Detail presentations were given in respect of the projects by the concerned Project Directors.
Deliberations were made on identifying the factors responsible for delay in some of the projects and suggesting measures for their proper implementation.
A presentation was also given by IFC on improving investment climate in the State and North Eastern Region.
A request was made by Government of Assam to Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance, Government of India and the ADB for considering another loan for the power sector (to strengthen the distribution network) as well as for Tourism and Urban Development sectors to include other towns like Silchar, Tezpur, Tinsukia and Dhubri.
Guwahati and Dibrugarh are duly covered under Assam Urban Infrastructure Investment.
The team of officials from DEA and ADB had visited the project sites of ongoing and completed ADB assisted projects in Guwahati city on Sunday. (UNI)