Latest news with #ADB-funded
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Hockey field, RoB, osmosis plant: Pondy to get infra boost with Rs 200cr aid, Rs 4,950cr ADB Loan
PUDUCHERRY: Chief Minister N Rangasamy on Friday announced a major infrastructure development drive, with the centre providing a Rs 200 crore special assistance and a Rs 4,750 crore soft loan approved by Asian Development Bank (ADB). At a press conference with Public Works Department (PWD) Minister K Lakshminarayanan, he said that a detailed project report for 14 infrastructure works worth Rs 129.56 crore has been already approved by the centre. The projects are expected to begin shortly and will be completed by March 2026. Alongside this, projects worth Rs 5 crore from the state government's funds have been instructed to be completed. 'We are going to revise the projects for the remaining Rs 80 crore and send them back to the Central Government," he said. Approved projects include the completion of the long-pending road over bridge across the Uppanar canal, underground power cabling from JIPMER to Venkatanagar substation, installation of 50 community reverse osmosis plants, construction of bus shelters, laying of Astroturf hockey field and synthetic athletic track, and road improvements. New government buildings also feature in the plan. The larger ADB-funded initiative will focus on critical sectors including drinking water, sewerage, and roads. One of the key projects includes two desalination plants at Rs 1000 crores. As per the agreement between the Puducherry government and the Tamil Nadu government, a Rs 350 crore project has been planned to supply water to 140 kilometers by laying a pipeline from the Sathanur dam to Bahour and kirumampakkam lakes beneath Penniyar river. Apart from this, Rs 250 crore is allocated to build underground sewers, and Rs 189 crore for development of roads in Puducherry government departments. The portfolio will be allotted to the minister at any time, the CM said. A 100 MLD water treatment plant will also be built at Sankarabarani River to implement a 24x7 'drink from the tap' scheme. Two 50 MLD desalination plants will also be set up at Dubrayapet. Urban renewal projects will include expansion of the iconic Puducherry Promenade from the Old Port to Chunambar and Muthialpet. An elevated corridor between Marapalam and Ariyankuppam Junction has been planned to ease traffic congestion. Improvements to pedestrian infrastructure on Nehru Street, M.G. Road, and Mission Street, and construction of multilevel parking facilities at the Old Jail Complex and Grand Canal, are also on the anvil. The government plans to link commune headquarters like Bahour, Nettapakkam, and Mannadipet, Sedarapet and Kalapet, to the new National Highway from Kunimedu to Thiruvandarkoil to improve road connectivity. Villianur and Murungapakkam will be connected to the Villupuram–Nagapattinam bypass, with the widening of 50 km road and land acquistion.
Business Recorder
6 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
CAREC region sans PRC attracts $13.3bn FDI inflow in 2023
ISLAMABAD: Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) region (excluding the PRC) attracted foreign direct investment (FDI) inflow of $13.3 billion in 2023, and as a share of gross domestic product, Mongolia stood out with FDI of 11 percent, far exceeding countries such as Pakistan (0.5 percent), says Asian Development Bank (ADB). The bank in its report, 'deepening trade and transport facilitation policy analysis of border crossing points expanding the CAREC corridor performance measurement and monitoring framework', stated that CAREC region (excluding the PRC) attracted FDI inflow of $13.3 billion in 2023, accounting for just one percent of global FDI, significantly lower than sub-regions such as Southeast Asia (17 percent) and South Asia (three percent). Kazakhstan received nearly one-fourth of this inflow, reflecting its openness to foreign investment and international integration. However, as a share of gross domestic product, Mongolia stood out with FDI of 11 percent, far exceeding countries such as Pakistan (0.5 percent) and Kazakhstan and Tajikistan (1.2 percent each). ADB-funded CAREC project: NHA rejects irregularity claims The report stated that to bridge economic disparities through regional cooperation, CAREC has mobilised over $51 billion in investments across 276 regional projects since 2001, with a strong focus on developing multimodal transportation networks, enhancing trade, enabling free movement of people and goods, and laying the groundwork for the development of economic corridors. Of these investments, transport has the biggest share, with about 67.4 percent or about $34.3 billion; while trade facilitation and trade policy accounts for 2.7 percent or about $1.4 billion. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
14-07-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
ADB-funded CAREC project: NHA rejects irregularity claims
ISLAMABAD: The National Highway Authority (NHA) has formally submitted a comprehensive status report to the Prime Minister's Office, rejecting allegations of irregularities and award of the ADB-funded Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Tranche 3 project to any black listed firm. The NHA's report stated that the CAREC Tranche 3 project, which involves the construction of an additional two-lane carriageway along a 330 km stretch of National Highway N-55 from Rajanpur to Dera Ismail Khan, is being financed under ADB Loan No. 4416-PAK. The procurement process is subject to strict ADB guidelines and was carried out under the ADB Prior Review Mechanism, meaning that every single step—technical and financial—required prior approval from ADB before proceeding. NHA denies CAREC project being given to blacklisted Chinese co The NHA categorically denied awarding the contract to a blacklisted firm, stating that the successful consortium—M/s Ningxia Communications Construc-tion Co. Ltd (NXCC) of China with local partners M/s Rustam Associates (RA) and M/s Dynamic Constructors (DC)—was never blacklisted by any Pakistani agency including NHA, FBR or PEC and PPRA or the donor agency. 'These firms are in good standing with the Pakistan Engineering Council and the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA),' the report affirms, adding that both local partners are registered in the 'No Limit' category with PEC and have completed multiple projects in the country. The NHA also clarified that allegations regarding NXCC's performance on the Lodhran–Multan project were resolved through ADB-sanctioned processes. NXCC responded to the concerns, and the ADB, after reviewing all documentation and clarifications, issued a No Objection Certificate (NOC) on January 17, 2025, for the technical evaluation and again on April 30, 2025, for the financial bid evaluation. The report highlights that the lowest evaluated bids across the four project lots totalled Rs146 billion, which is about 20% below the NHA's own engineer's estimate and not Rs172 billion as falsely claimed in the news reports. The difference between the lowest and second-lowest bids alone resulted in a cost saving of Rs13.19 billion, the NHA stressed. According to the NHA report to PM office, the project bidding followed the Single Stage – Two Envelope Procedure in accordance with ADB's standard documents. A pre-bid meeting was held in August 2024, attended by 12 interested firms. Technical bids were submitted by 12 bidders and underwent a thorough ADB-approved evaluation process. Concerns raised by a competing bidder about NXCC's track record were evaluated under Appendix 7 of ADB's procurement regulations and addressed within the Technical Bid Evaluation Report (TBER), which ADB fully endorsed. After receiving ADB's concurrence at every step—including the final Price Bid Evaluation Report (PBER)—the NHA awaits only a revision in the PC-I approval from ECNEC before formally awarding the contracts. The report also refers to Rule 5 of Pakistan's Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) Rules, which states that international obligations under treaties or agreements—including those with financial institutions like ADB—take precedence over domestic procurement rules in case of conflict. The report concluded that the entire procurement process was conducted in a 'transparent and accountable manner' and with the full oversight and approval of ADB at all stages. All complaints were addressed and shared with the ADB, and none of the bidding firms were unfairly disqualified. 'The issuance of No Objection Letters by ADB for both technical and financial stages is the strongest evidence that no procurement violations occurred,' the report added. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
New Indian Express
28-06-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Offshore breakwaters proposed for Shankhumukham trigger debate
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As Shankhumukham Beach continues to face severe erosion, experts have recommended the construction of offshore breakwaters to protect the shoreline and restore the once-popular destination in the state capital. However, the proposal has triggered criticism and concern, with many pointing to the still-incomplete offshore breakwater project at nearby Poonthura. MLA Antony Raju, after discussions with multiple departments and experts, has decided to push the offshore-breakwater project mooted by the Kerala State Coastal Area Development Corporation (KSCADC) to protect the Shankhumukham. However, the decision hasn't gone down well with the irrigation department -- which is responsible for coastal conservation in the state. The decision to proceed with the offshore-breakwater project has come at a time when the irrigation department has drawn up a comprehensive project, funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), to construct 'land-locked breakwater' at Shankhumukham -- one of the critical spots under threat of erosion in the state. The department has decided to oppose the offshore-breakwater project on the grounds that it's not suitable for Shankhumukham Beach. According to official sources, the department has already submitted a proposal. The Rs 150-crore project proposes beach nourishment along with land-locked breakwater and is expected to be completed within five years. 'The ADB-funded project is a foolproof project which has been drawn up after years of study. Government approval will see the project take off immediately. Offshore breakwater is not suitable for beaches like Shankhumukham which have very high wave activity,' a senior official with the department said. 'Nothing has been finalised and there will be more discussion at the government-level,' the official added.
The Hindu
16-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Govt. nod for ADB-funded drinking water project in Kochi
The State Cabinet has approved the contract for the proposed Asian Development Bank (ADB)-funded Kerala Urban Water Supply Improvement Project in Kochi. It also decided to issue administrative sanction to include the 190-million litre per day (MLD) water treatment plant in Aluva in the ADB-funded project. The State government had earlier given administrative approval for the ADB-assisted 24X7 uninterrupted water supply scheme for Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi in 2020. The government had approved an outlay of ₹2,511 crore submitted by the Kerala Water Authority (KWA), the implementing agency, for the project. The ADB loan will constitute 70% (₹1,757.7 crore) of the total amount. The State will chip in with the remaining 30% (₹753.3 crore) as its share. Later, it was decided to implement the first phase of the project within the Kochi city limits. Two works — renovation of the drinking water distribution network and an expression of interest for selecting a project consultant — had been tendered initially. The combine of trade unions in the KWA had opposed the project as they feared that it might ultimately result in the privatisation of water distribution system in Kochi. The project to source 190 MLD water from the Periyar to end drinking water scarcity in and around Kochi was included in the ADB-funded Kerala Urban Water Supply Improvement scheme in Kochi to speed up its implementation. The 190-MLD project was conceived on 1.57 hectares of KWA-owned land near the agency's water treatment plant in Aluva. The aim was to ensure drinking water supply to areas under the Kochi Corporation, five nearby municipalities, and 13 panchayats. It was mooted since the existing drinking water supply fell short of the domestic and commercial requirements of consumers.
