Three-member World Bank team calls on J&K Chief Secretary Arun Mehta

A three-member team from the World Bank had a meeting with J&K Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Mehta on Saturday regarding the World Bank-funded projects being implemented in Jammu and Kashmir.

The World Bank team was led by Abhas Jha, Practice Manager, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management, South Asia Region, and also comprised Deepak Singh, Lead Disaster Risk Management Specialist, and Hemang Karelia, Senior Disaster Risk Management Specialist.

The World Bank team lauded the efforts of J&K government in streamlining the implementation of the World Bank-funded Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project (JTFRP) during the past two years.

The Chief Secretary had a detailed discussion with the visiting team about the progress made on JTFRP.

Mehta emphasised the need for exploring more possibilities for capacity building of engineers in the sphere of seismic proof construction. He expressed hope that the World Bank would continue to support J&K in the areas of climate change, sustainable development, environmental sustainability and other significant sectors.

Later, the World Bank team visited the 500 LPM manifold oxygen plant at SDH Charar-e-Sharief in Budgam, one of the manifold oxygen plants constructed by J&KERA under the World Bank-funded JTFRP.

It was informed that the oxygen plant at Charar-e-Sharief will directly benefit around one lakh people in various areas of the remote Charier-e-Sharief tehsil.

Under the World Bank-funded JTFRP, 30 oxygen plants have been constructed by J&KERA at a cost of Rs 70 crore in the most far-flung areas across J&K.

--IANS

zi/arm