India-ADB: Chennai Climate-Resilient Water Security and Sewerage Project (International Relations)
India-ADB: Chennai Climate-Resilient Water Security and Sewerage Project (International Relations)
Why In News:
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $230 million loan for a climate-resilient water and sewerage infrastructure project in Chennai.
Key Components of the Project
* Water & Sewerage Infrastructure: Over 170 km of new water and sewer pipelines will be laid, while 7 water and 38 sewer pumping stations will be upgraded to improve capacity and reliability.
* Ring-Main Network: A closed-loop ring-main system will provide multiple water-supply routes, ensuring balanced pressure, reliable distribution and greater network resilience.
* Digital & Performance-Based Management: Digital/SCADA-type monitoring will enable real-time tracking of flows and leakages, while performance-based contracts will improve efficiency and accountability.
* Safer Sewerage Operations: Greater automation and technological intervention will reduce dependence on hazardous manual sewer inspections, improving worker safety and operational efficiency.
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
Establishment: Founded in 1966 to promote economic and social development and reduce poverty in the Asia-Pacific region.
Headquarters: Located in Manila, Philippines, with operations covering developing economies across Asia and the Pacific.
Membership: ADB has 69 members, including 50 from the Asia-Pacific region; India is a founding member.
Ownership and Voting Power: Japan and the United States are joint largest shareholders in the Asian Development Bank, each holding roughly 15.6% of total shares and about 12.8% of voting power.
Functions: Provides loans, grants, technical assistance and policy advice for sectors.
Sovereign Lending: Offers market-based and low-interest loans from Ordinary Capital Resources (OCR) to fund public infrastructure and reform programs.
Concessional Grants: Provides grant-only allocations through the Asian Development Fund (ADF) for lower-income or debt-vulnerable nations.
Technical Assistance: Delivers advisory services, institutional capacity building, and project preparation training.
Private Sector Operations: Extends direct loans, equity investments, and guarantees to private enterprises to mobilize commercial capital.
India–ADB Partnership: ADB supports India through financing and technical assistance for urban infrastructure, transport, water and sanitation, energy, climate resilience and sustainable development projects.
Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS): ADB Supported theNational Capital Region Transport Corporation with high-speed rail financing, multimodal transit hubs, and renewable energy integration.