Local bodies to assist Kerala rebuilding

Thiruvananthapuram: With the government approving project report for the second phase of World Bank aided Kerala Local Government Service Delivery Project (KLGSDP), experts say in the post flood scenario the projects under the scheme can contribute significantly in rebuilding of Kerala.

The government had issued the order approving the second phase just four months before the devastating floods wreaked havoc in the state. Under the changed circumstances, experts say many of the projects under KLGSDP could be tweaked as part of government’s massive rebuilding Kerala exercise.

The World Bank Mission team had held detailed discussions with the government in April this year on the need for having focus on urban areas in the second phase. The government had submitted a modified project report.

According to revised project report the total project cost is US $520 million which would come roughly Rs 3700 plus crores .

The first phase of the KLGSDP was completed on December  29, 2017.  To continue with the effective implementation and completion of the projects taken up during the first phase, the government had formulated the second phase.

In the second phase the projects that are likely to receive priority are roads, bridges, check dams, slaughter houses, crematoriums, waste management plants, dialysis units, buds schools, basic infrastructure facilities.

The Phase I of the project known as Thaddesha Mithram had financed over 40,000 individual projects which were implemented in over 900 grama panchayats and 60 municipalities.

Along with institutionalization of local governance systems and making the accounts systems in local governemnt institutions up-to-date and almost error free, 43,000 sub projects in different sectors had been successfully implemented which contributed immensely in service delivery.

Replicable models of Anganwadis, BUDS Schools, Crematoria, Fish Markets, Bus Stations, Smart Class rooms, Dialysis centres in hospitals, renovation of ponds and construction of small check dams, drinking water schemes, road connectivity, front offices etc. are some of the commendable contributions of the first phase of the KLGSDP.

Exprerts said this project has yielded rich outcomes in terms of improvement in quality of service delivery, transparency in administration and enhanced utilisation of financial resources, which have largely contributed in improving the quality of lives of the people.

WB-ADB team to meet CS on Saturday

The World Bank and ADB team visiting the state for joint rapid damage and need assessment will meet chief secretary Tom Jose on September 22.

The team will present its views before the chief secretary based on the assessment carried out by its members during their visit to flood affected districts. The representatives of the WB and ADB which toured 10 districts to assess flood damage, interacted with the department heads for the second consecutive day on Tuesday.