Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Government has decided to implement a Rs 2,100 crore solid-waste management project in the state, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said. Moreover, an all-party meeting held to discuss the Kerala State Waste Management Project had supported the government's initiative, he said.
"Local bodies in the state are already receiving funds as their share of the project allocation. In addition to this amount, the World Bank would extend a loan. While the World Bank would sanction Rs 1,470 crore, the state government’s contribution will be Rs 630 crore," said the chief minister. As the funds are meant to be used for a specific project, the World Bank has not placed any general conditions, he added.
The project has three phases. The first one involves empowerment and technical support. In the second phase, preparations would be made at the local level to implement the project and in the final phase, additional resources will be arranged for sanitation.
The project also aims to coordinate eco-friendly activities in the areas where they are implemented. Moreover, there would be a system to hear the grievances of local people and find solutions. The project has a tenure of six years, said the chief minister.
The Suchitwa Mission is in charge of the first two phases of the project, which would benefit 93 urban centres and 183 panchayats in the state. Initially, consultants would be selected to carry out the preliminary studies, said the chief minister.
