Guwahati: World Bank has authorised a loan in the amount of USD 108 million in an effort to strengthen Assam’s readiness for disasters and flood forecasts.
The project which is a part of a wider USD 500 million investment package for the state will help about 6 million people, according to a press release from the international bank.
The loan from the International Bank of Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) a subsidiary of the World Bank has an 11.5-year maturity and a 4-year grace period.
By constructing green infrastructure in the Beki and Buridehing river basins the Assam Integrated River Basin Management Project will assist the state in reducing its vulnerability to floods and river erosion, safeguarding about 100,000 people.
The initiative will also improve flood predictions and provide precise early warning systems including smartphone notifications, to strengthen the state’s response to disasters. According to the press release, it will give at least 10,000 people access to safer evacuation and shelter facilities including climate-resilient flood shelters.
The project’s enhanced state and district emergency operational centres will also enable government institutions to react to crises more quickly.
“The 2022 floods adversely impacted millions of people in Assam,” said Auguste Tano Kouame, the World Bank’s Country Director for India.
“This project will build on Assam’s disaster risk management approach thus contributing to climate-resilient growth while protecting lives and property for the people of Assam.”
The initiative will assist Assam in managing its intricate river systems while also assisting it in addressing the state’s immediate problems with erosion and floods.
Assam’s economy depends on the Brahmaputra River system which is also a vital component of the state’s abundant natural resources and rich cultural legacy. However, flooding, riverbank erosion, sedimentation and biodiversity loss have a severe negative influence on the state’s economy and environment which results in loss of livelihood for its citizens.
The Assam government has predicted that due to climate change, there will be an increase in extreme rainfall events of 5-35 percent and an increase in flood events of more than 25 percent.
“Water resource management combined with disaster preparedness is a critical way to protect natural resources and increase economic growth,” said Greg Browder, Anup Karanth, and Satya Priya, the Task Team Leaders for the project. “The project will contribute to designing climate resilient villages and develop flood shelters that provide sufficient space for community members and livestock.”