Bhubaneswar, May 19: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Wednesday urged the World Bank to continue a mix of concessional and usual financial assistance to a State like Odisha.
He said at present the State was availing technical and advisory support as well as programmatic investment support in the areas of irrigation, road sector, post cyclone rehabilitation.
“We have also sought support of the bank for strengthening our higher education system, improving rural livelihood and skill development,” he told a delegation of World Bank Directors who called on him at State Secretariat here.
He said the funding agency should continue with a mix of concessional and usual financing terms and added, “I look forward to a mutually beneficial relationship between the Government of Odisha and the World Bank Group in the future.”
The Chief Minister said, State’s engagement with the World Bank spans over several decades in diverse areas ranging from irrigation, hydro power generation, agriculture, watershed development, road sector, technical education, power sector restructuring, emergency q/clone reconstruction, health sector and child development to structural adjustment support for fiscal restructuring.
It has played a vital role in the process of the growth and development of the State’s economy and turnaround of its finances, he added.
Patnaik said his Government lays emphasis on development of irrigation potential through Mega Lift Irrigation Projects in upland areas without involving any
rehabilitation and resettlement issues while increasing the efficiency of water used for irrigation.
Tapping green energy sources like solar power, drought mitigation through creation of in-stream storage structures for irrigation and drinking water are also high priority items in our agenda for development, he added.
“These are some of the possible areas on which we can work together,” the Chief Minister hoped.
During the meeting, Patnaik discussed with the delegation for their future cooperation in field of higher education, technical education, skill development and livelihood project.
Meanwhile, officials said that the team expressed deep satisfaction over the progress on the industrial sector in the State.
The delegation also assured necessary assistance to the State, they said.
