The Hindu : Front Page : Karunanidhi wants funding for tsunami reconstruction expedited

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 25, 2007
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Karunanidhi wants funding for tsunami reconstruction expedited

Special Correspondent

Discusses ongoing projects in the State with World Bank Country Director

— Photo: M. Vedhan

FIRST VISIT: World Bank Country Director Isabel Guerrero with Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi at the Secretariat in Chennai on Tuesday.

CHENNAI: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi has urged the World Bank’s new Country Director, Isabel Guerrero, to speed up sanction of the Rs.1,000-crore funding for the tsunami reconstruction work for the vulnerable, scheduled to be taken up by the Government along the coastline. As many as 30,000 houses falling within a kilometre of the coastline are proposed to be relocated or strengthened under the project. This was decided after the tsunami, which led to the death of about 7,000 people in the State.

Tamil Nadu is the first State Ms. Guerrero is visiting after taking over as Country Director. Though the meeting with the Chief Minister was described as a courtesy call, Mr. Karunanidhi used the opportunity to talk about the ongoing schemes. Nine World Bank projects are being implemented in the State at a total cost of Rs.10,635 crore. Ms. Guerrero conveyed her appreciation for the operation of the Rs. 2,160-crore Tamil Nadu Road Sector Project; the Rs. 597-crore Health Systems Project and the Rs. 717-crore Vazhndhu Kattuvom scheme.

Portfolio review

She and her team of officials held a portfolio review with State government officials. Tamil Nadu now has the largest share of World Bank projects in the country. Chief Secretary L.K. Tripathy and Finance Secretary K. Gnanadesikan led the State government team of officials and project directors.

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