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Funding prospects for road project bright: Carter

By Our Special Correspondent

Chennai May 2. The World Bank country director, Michael F. Carter, today commended Tamil Nadu's economic reforms programme and indicated that a Rs.2116-crore loan package may be cleared by June for improving the rugged roads, especially along the east coast.

On a three-day visit to the State to inspect development projects and discuss funding proposals, he said he was "very impressed" with the reforms undertaken by the Government in the economic sector.

"It is not an easy task. But, the State has gone ahead with the reform programme. I am sure it will bring great benefits to Tamil Nadu in the years to come," Mr.Carter told the media, after an hour-long meeting with the Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, at the Secretariat this evening.

To a specific query on the much-awaited loan package for the road sector development project, he said he was "very confident" that the bank's Board would clear it and the project would get started by June. "It will be negotiated within ten days in Washington. I hope the project will be cleared." It would cover a period of four or five years, he said.

The World Bank was also "working on" two proposals for improving the health system and rural water supply and sanitation, which would provide the rural people increased access to health services and water. "But, the proposal is in the beginning stage."

Mr.Carter, accompanied by the Bank's senior economists, Lili Liu, and Mohan Nagarajan, said the Chief Minister "raised a number of other projects" for loan sanction and placed special emphasis on funding for the watershed programme.

Earlier in the forenoon, the World Bank country director had a discussion with top State officials, including the Chief Secretary, Lakshmi Pranesh, the Finance Secretary, N.Narayanan, and the Planning Commission Member-Secretary, Naresh Gupta. It was followed by a power-point presentation on the heath situation and nutrition initiatives, official sources said.

In the evening, Ms. Jayalalithaa hosted a dinner for the World Bank team at the Taj Coramandel hotel here, which was preceded by a Bharatanatyam performance by actress Shobana.

The team is scheduled to visit the Metrowater office here tomorrow followed by a trip to the information technology park in suburban Siruseri and the toll plaza on the East Coast Road.

`I am in a hurry'

An official release said the Chief Minister told the World Bank team that the State entered the new millennium with doubts and uncertainty about growth prospects and fiscal recovery. The economy in the five years preceding 2001 barely grew, with the primary and secondary sectors remaining stagnant, human development indices plateauing and public finances in complete ruin.

"I took decisive steps to set right the fiscal situation and set a new development agenda," she claimed. Detailing the fiscal reform measures initiated by the AIADMK Government, Ms.Jayalalithaa said the Centre and the World Bank were approached for aid to finance the reforms programme.

She sought funding for the Water Resources Consolidation Project-II, needed to operate irrigation sources; the agriculture sector project in tandem with poverty alleviation programme, a comprehensive infrastructure plan with special focus on traffic and transportation in the Chennai metropolitan area; health systems project; the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Sanitation project and the Chennai Metropolitan water supply and sewerage project.

She told the team, "I am in a hurry to catch up with the lost years and ensure all-round development of Tamil Nadu. Can we walk this stretch together and fast, so that the people of this State live their dreams in full?"

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