The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) today signed a 125 million dollar loan agreement to enhance urban livability and bolster climate resilience in six district headquarters and Guwahati, in the State of Assam. The project will benefit 3 Lakh 60 thousand residents of Assam by delivering a continuous metered water supply and upgrading storm water management systems. It also seeks to strengthen urban governance through institutional reforms and capacity building.

 

 

The Finance Ministry, in a statement, said that key infrastructure investments include the construction of six water treatment plants with a combined capacity of 72 million litres per day and 800 kilometres of distribution pipelines in the district headquarters of Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Dhubri, Goalpara, Golaghat, and Nalbari. The project will also deploy a real-time monitoring system, aiming to maintain non-revenue water below 20 per cent.

 

 

In Guwahati, the project will enhance stormwater management in the Bahini Basin with flood diversion channels, upgraded drainage systems, and a nature-based retention pond to reduce flood discharge and improve groundwater recharge. The project also includes the establishment of the Assam State Institute for Urban Development in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati.