Short Takes

Short Takes

India's sustainability and green agenda has caught the world's imagination and here we take stock of some of the key moves within the Clean India mission, which ties in seamlessly with a number of other initiatives such as Solar India and Smart Cities. Toshiba bags Clean India contract

UEM India, Japan based Toshiba Group's water service unit in India, has bagged a $19.75 million (Rs 132.6 crore) contract from Jharkhand Urban Infrastructure Development Company (JUIDCO) to supply sewerage system in Sahibganj, Jharkhand. UEM India said: “JUIDCO, which operates under the administrative control of the Urban Development Department of Jharkhand′s state government.” The contract encompasses the construction of two sewage treatment plants based on sequencing batch reactor technology, with 5 million and 7 million litter per day capacities, along with a 55 kilometre sewerage network and seven pumping stations. It also covers 10 years of operation and maintenance services (O&M), and has a total value of Rs 132.6 crore. Koichi Matsui, chairperson and managing Director, UEM, said: "The Sahibganj contract... reinforces our already strong record for delivering cost-effective solutions for wastewater management." The Sahibganj Project, funded by World Bank, is an MoU between Jharkhand government, Sahibganj Nagar Parishad and Ministry of Water Resources under the National Ganga River Basin Authority Programme. World Bank offers billions to Clean India

The World Bank has approved a $1.5 billion loan for the ambitious Clean India campaign. The international financial institution has backed the Indian government's efforts to ensure all citizens in rural areas have access to improved sanitation and end the practice of open defecation by 2019. As per World Bank statistics, of the 2.4 billion people who lack access to improved sanitation globally, more than 750 million live in India, with 80 per cent living in rural areas. More than 500 million of the rural population in India continue to defecate in the open, suffering from preventable deaths, illness, stunting, harassment and economic losses. The loan will be used for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Swachh Bharat Abhiyan Support Operation Project. Onno Ruhl, World Bank country director for India, said: “One in every 10 deaths in India is linked to poor sanitation. And studies show that low-income households bear the maximum brunt of poor sanitation. “This project, aimed at strengthening the implementation of the Swachh Bharat initiative of the government, will result in significant health benefits for the poor and vulnerable, especially those living in rural areas. “Incentivising good performance by states and the focus on behavioural changes are two important components of this project.” The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation (MDWS) will play the overseeing and coordinating role for the programme and support the participating states. Funds will also be used to develop the capacity of MDWS in program management, advocacy, monitoring and evaluation. The World Bank will also provide a parallel $25 million technical assistance to build the capacity of select state governments in implementing community-led behavioural change programmes, targeting social norms to help ensure widespread usage of toilets by rural households. Clean Ganga: New PPP policy in waste management will boost investment

The Indian government's vision of a more integrated waste-water management policy got its first major boost with the launch of a new incentive-based corporate model. This brings back momentum to the Namami Gange programme by taking the mission to its very roots - the local communities who stand to profit from not only a Clean India but also have the opportunity to explore its business potential. Bringing in the corporate sector also ensures greater efficiency in terms of delivery. Flow of untreated urban sewage is one of the main reasons for pollution in the river Ganga. Under the latest plan, companies will collaborate on a public-private partnership (PPP) basis for urban sewage management.

Related Stories

No stories found.

Podcast

No stories found.

Defence bulletin

No stories found.

The power of the quad

No stories found.

Videos

No stories found.

Women Leaders

No stories found.
India Global Business
www.indiaglobalbusiness.com