In response to the high quality of work for creating rural infrastructure, the World Bank has decided to give a grant of Rs 350 crore for development of rural infrastructure of Bengal.
The World Bank provides funding for strengthening of the gram panchayat system in the country through the programme, Institutional Strengthening of Gram Panchayat Programme (ISGPP). Bangla has had a very good track record under ISGPP.
The institution has been funding the State’s developmental activities through the programme from 2017.
Rs 500 crore has been provided in two tranches, work completed with which has satisfied the World Bank immensely; hence now the reward of a further Rs 350 crore.
Toilets for women and drinking water facilities in the panchayat bhawans, rural roads, culverts, piped drinking water supply to homes, construction of toilets, etc. would be built with the help of this fund.
The money would reach the Panchayats and Rural Development Department by the end of July, following which the department would ask each of the gram panchayats selected by it for development for a list of the works they want to carry out.
Among the works carried out with the Rs 500 crore provided previously are building houses, buying computers for panchayat offices and training panchayat officers for using the same, etc. for 3,229 gram panchayats across the State. (UNI)
