Monday, February 22, 2010

Review of World Bank assisted projects
  
World Bank assisted projects, both IBRD (International Bank for Reconstruction & Development) and IDA (International Development Association), will be reviewed at Bhubaneswar on 24th & 25th February, 2010. This is the first time that the World Bank assisted projects are being reviewed outside Delhi. The State Government of Orissa is offering necessary assistance for the review. Such residential review helps in getting focused attention, encourages cross learning and sharing of best practices.

The review would be conducted by the Joint Secretary in Department of Economic Affairs, Dr Anup K. Pujari, assisted by the Directors in DEA, Ms Kavita Prasad, Shri D K Singh and Shri Anuj Arora. The World Bank Country Director, Mr Roberto Zagha, World Bank Operations Adviser, Mr Rachid Benmessaoud, and several other officials from the World Bank, both from Delhi office and Washington DC office, would be participating in the review.

In India, 69 projects with a total commitment of approximately US$ 19.4 billion are under implementation. This makes India the biggest borrower of the World Bank. Out of these 69 projects, except the projects in financial sector and 4 new projects, all pertaining to Andhra Pradesh started recently are not to be reviewed. Rest 58 projects with a loan commitment of approximately US$ 14.5 billion would be taken up for review. The total cost of these projects is more than this amount because the respective State Government or the Central Line Ministry would also contribute their share. Of this amount, US$ 6.4 billion has already been disbursed as on 31 January, 2010.

The total participants for this 2-day residential review would exceed 200 including the Project Directors, nodal officers of the State Government, representatives of Central Line Ministries, officers of DEA and the World Bank.

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