The Asian Development Bank (ADB), a multilateral funding agency, has approved a loan of over Rs 831 crore to Jharkhand to fund water supply infrastructure.
Jharkhand's water supply is currently insufficient, with residents receiving only three to four hours of water per day on average. The project will ensure a steady supply of high-quality water, which will improve the area's health and hygiene, especially in the aftermath of a pandemic.
ADB told the media that four water treatment plants with a combined capacity of 275 million litres per day will be built as part of the Jharkhand Urban Water Supply Improvement Project, which covers Jhumri Telaiya, Hussainabad, Medininagar, and Ranchi. It will provide safe drinking water that complies with national drinking water standards.
The project will build a 940 km water distribution network to provide continuous water to 115,000 households, including those living in poverty, members of scheduled castes and tribes, and other vulnerable groups. The project will cost $160 million, with the state government of Jharkhand contributing $48 million.
In 2028, the project is expected to be completed. It will also ensure long-term viability by bolstering the capacity of urban local bodies (ULBs) to deliver and govern urban services. Urban project design and implementation will be taught to staff from ULBs and other state urban institutions.
It will also cover a variety of other topics, including how to respond to climate risks, gender equality, and institutional development, according to the statement.
The project in Ranchi also includes asset management using a geographic information system, as well as the use of supervisory control and data acquisition systems for water supply operations.
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