World Bank may double loans to Bihar: Director (India)

Patna,(BiharTimes): The World Bank may consider doubling soft loans to around $ one billion, for accelerating development works in Bihar over the next couple of years.

Talking to the media here on Tuesday World Bank Country Director (India), Onno Ruhl, said here that Bihar had registered a double digit growth and it must sustain this rate to catch up with the rest of the country. For this the state needs lots of investment for which the Bank has been asked by the Union Finance Ministry to hike investment.

Onno Ruhl lauded the Nitish government for making human resources development his key priority in addition to improvement in law and order and infrastructure development.

The Country Director said Bihar is important for the World Bank, therefore, it may consider doubling up assistance in the next couple of years from $ 500 million at present.

Ruhl identified segments of development for assistance in the state and said the international donor has been supporting the state government’s programmes like teachers' training, secondary education for girls and health care.

According to him the World Bank also propose to provide assistance for construction of road for habitats with 200 people, power distribution, tourism and agriculture roadmap.