Guwahati: A team of Asian Development Bank (ADB) officials led by its country director Kenichi Yokoyama last week visited the projects in Assam run with its assistance.
The team made the visit after the Assam Urban Infrastructure Investment Program (AUIIP), funded by the bank and one of the key urban infrastructure initiatives of the state government to improve urban environment and quality of life in Guwahati and Dibrugarh cities, were tagged as the "most challenging" projects in the South Asia urban portfolio.
The ADB made the tag at a recent stakeholders' meeting in New Delhi, which was attended by representatives from the ministries of finance and economic affairs, among others, followed by a letter to T.Y. Das, the chief secretary of Assam, on the project.
AUIIP sources told The Telegraph that in its four-day visit, the team visited the sites of Southeast Guwahati Water Supply Project, along with storm water drainage management project and solid waste management project in Dibrugarh.
The team, comprising Yokoyama, head of south Asia urban division and two project officers, after their inspection, also sat for a meeting with higher officials of the state government, including the chief secretary.
"The team did not make any remark about the projects despite the tag. Now the ADB team will send its report after a meeting with the ministry of finance in New Delhi soon. The report will finalise how the projects will have to be completed," a source said.
The ADB has allotted $200 million for the projects, covering a water supply project here and drainage and solid waste management system in Dibrugarh.
The first tranche ($51 million at present) was approved on November 18, 2011. The period of the first tranche will end on June 30 and only $16.2 million has been disbursed till December 31 last year.
The state government has requested the ADB to extend the time period up to three years and proposed to finished work of both first and second tranche at the same time, to which the bank is yet to agree, sources said. The loan for the project will be reimbursed by the Centre (90 per cent) and the state government (10 per cent).
