By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net
Bhopal: A World Bank team at different meetings reviewed the progress of works being carried out under Madhya Pradesh Water Sector Restructuring Project here on Tuesday.
The World Bank team is comprised of team leader Xavier Juletta, agriculture expert Manivarnan, procurement expert Mamchand and social development expert Shankar Narain. The World Bank team held talks with chief engineers of Water Resources Department, representatives of non-government organisations and senior officers of the departments assisting the Project including Agriculture, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Horticulture departments.
In the meeting with chief engineers, the team apprised themselves of the progress of modernisation work of dams and canals and works related to tenders. World Bank team’s experts also gave detailed information about World Bank rules of procurement. The experts also sought information about the consultancies being appointed under the Project. Project Director PK Tiwari informed the World Bank team that modernisation work of 36 irrigation projects has been started. Their cost is Rs. 604 crore. Besides, work of 47 other projects is going to be started soon. Six consultancies have also been appointed.
In the meeting with senior officers of Agriculture, Horticulture, Fisheries and Animal Husbandry departments, the World Bank team, apart from apprising themselves of expenditure made so far and works, also held talks in detail on the projects of 2008-09. The meeting was informed that the departments have so far spent Rs. 2.57 crore and projects worth Rs. 23.18 crore have been prepared for the year 2008-09. In the meeting with non-government organisations’ representatives, discussion was held on the role of non-government organisations in the project. The NGOs presented proposal for extending cooperation in creating public awareness as well as in the implementation of departmental projects.
It may be mentioned that Madhya Pradesh Water Sector Restructuring Project is being implemented in 30 districts of the state with Rs. 1919 crore financial assistance from World Bank. Apart from giving a modern shape to dams and canals of irrigation projects, farmers are also being given benefits of advanced techniques of farming, horticulture, animal husbandry and pisciculture under the project. ([email protected])