The Union government has received a grant of Rs.764.54 crore, through a credit agreement with International Development Association (an arm of the World Bank), to help boost sanitation services and water supply in several districts of Kerala.
According to the joint secretary, economic affairs, ministry of finance, Venu Rajamony, the project will be implemented in 200 gram panchayats. The project aims to provide 288,000 households with direct access to water supply and 691,000 inhabitants with sanitation interventions.
Women are anticipated to be the main beneficiaries of the project, and are likely to have a bigger say in the beneficiary committees (BCs), which are responsible for the sub-project implementation.
The government of Kerala has systematically improved the coverage of water supply in rural areas, from 58.6% in 2003 to 67.7% in 2010.
The IDA grant will fund the second part of the state government’s rural water supply and sanitation project.