The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has sanctioned USD 96.3 million loan to provide safe drinking water and improve water supply and sanitation services in Himachal Pradesh.
The amount will be used to implement the projects under the Himachal Pradesh Rural Drinking Water Improvement and Livelihood Project.
Over 90 percent of the state’s rural population has access to drinking water, however the water supply infrastructure is old. The ADB project will connect 75,800 households to the service, providing an uninterrupted water supply to around 3,70,000 residents across 10 districts.
The project will upgrade water supply infrastructure and strengthen institutional capacity to ensure safe, sustainable, and inclusive rural water supply and sanitation services.
A pilot faecal sludge management and sanitation programme will also be implemented in Sirmaur District, benefitting 2,50,000 residents and to determine replicability and guide the design of future projects.
Key project stakeholders and community-based organizations will be trained on water management, including livelihood skills training for women self-help groups.
