The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Tuesday sanctioned a loan of Rs. 284 crore to improve urban services in 14 towns in north Karnataka.
A total of Rs. 409 crore would be spent under the fourth phase of the North Karnataka Urban Sector Investment Programme. The State would incur an expenditure of Rs. 125 crore, officials of the Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation Ltd. (KUIDFC) told The Hindu on Tuesday.
Tarun Bajaj, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Union Ministry of Finance, and M. Teresa Kho, Country Director of ADB’s India Resident Mission, signed the agreement in New Delhi. The project agreement was also signed by D. Chandrashekaraiah, Joint Director (Planning), Urban Development Department of Karnataka, and Arifulla Shariff, Executive Director, KUIDFC. The agreement is for the fourth and final phase of the project, which will be completed in 2016. The total cost of the eight-year project is Rs. 1,215 crore. The fourth phase of the project will upgrade infrastructure, such as providing water supply (24X7), in 12 towns — Basavakalyan, Bellary, Bidar, Gadag-Betageri, Gokak, Haveri, Hospet, Nipanni, Raichur, Shahabad, Sindhanur and Yadgir — , completing sewerage networks in three towns — Haveri, Hospet and Raichur —, and improving road network in two towns — Badami and Ilkal.
The project would help improve the quality of life in underdeveloped areas of the State. Water utility operators would be engaged through performance-based management contracts to design and construct sections of the distribution networks, provide metered connections and operate and maintain the facilities, officials said.
It would support municipal governance programme, leading to better municipal service through the use of geographic information systems for property tax mapping and utility mapping. It would assist State government in establishing a heritage planning cell under the Town Planning Department for conservation of heritage structures and sites in the State.
The project also aims to improve basic urban services for at least 4.3 million people, residing in 25 north Karnataka towns, such as improved water supply and safe and fast urban transportation.
