Govt, World Bank ink $152-mn deal

The central government on Wednesday signed a $52 million deal with the World Bank to help improve health services in Uttar Pradesh. "The government of India and the World Bank signed an International Development Association (IDA) credit of $152 million to finance the government's efforts to help improve the efficiency, quality, and accountability of health services in UP," a release issued by the government said on Wednesday. The project would be financed by a credit from the IDA-World Bank's concessionary lending arm, with a final maturity of 25 years, including a grace period of five years and a 1.25 per cent interest rate, it added.