AGARTALA, June 24 (TIWN): Chief Minister Biplab Deb held meeting with the delegation from Asian Development Bank at the Secretariat as recently the ADB has approved the project submitted by the Urban Development Department amounting to Rs 1,650 crore for infrastructure development.

Noteworthy, Asian Development Bank(ADB) has  approved the project submitted by Urban Development Department amounting Rs. 1650 Cr  ($235 million) for infrastructure development such as piped water supply, underground drainage, underground sewage or scientific septage management, roads with pavement etc in seven district Headquarter towns other than Agartala i.e. Khowai, Ambassa, Dharmnagar, Kailashahar, Udaipur, Bishramganj, Belonia. Asian Development Bank will provide Rs. 1650 Cr( $235 million) out of which 80% is grant in aid and the State will have to repay back only 20% loan in due course of time.   

Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) Ministry of Finance Government of India approved the said project in 89th Screening Committee meeting held in North Block New Delhi on 15.11.18.   Subsequently Ministry of External Affairs , Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs Government of India approved the said project.  Accordingly Asian Development Bank(ADB) sent Consultation Mission to Agartala, on 21.12.2019 to seek the feasibility of Project Readiness Financing (PFR) & Technical Assistance (TA)for preparations of DPRs of this project. ADB recommended for PFR & TA of Rs. 21 Cr($3 million) for this project.   Accordongly this  proposal of PFR for Rs. 21 Cr( $ 3 million) has been approved by the Screening Committee of DEA, Ministry of Finance GoI in North Block New Delhi  on 14.06.2019. 

Now the Urban Development Department of Government of Tripura will start preparing DPRs with the assistance of ADB for speedy  execution of the said project.   It is to mention that till date there has been no any provision of any funding for development of District Headquarter Towns in Tripura other than Agartala.   

Various funding under AMRUT, Smart City Mission etc is coming for Agargala city only.   Thus other District HQ towns were hitherto neglected.   Now the State Government for the first time has taken concrete decision in this regard,  for development of infrastructure in 7 district HQ towns for which there has been  continuous demand of public from these HQ towns since many years. 

"Such ADB assisted ambitious  Infrastructure Development  project of the State Govenment is expected to modernise all the District HQs and will boost tourism and trade prospects in future so as to fulfill the dreams of Model State of Chief Minister Shri Biplab Kumar Deb", said an official.