Kerala will organise a conclave with participation of international banks and funding agencies for raising resources and for technical aid for ‘nava kerala nirmanam’- the post flood reconstruction, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said.
Representatives of World Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), UNDP, French Development Agency, among other international agencies, will take part in the conclave. The conclave will be held on July 15 in Thiruvananthapuram.
"Rs 1720 crore that World Bank has promised to provide will be used for infrastructure development. German Government Bank has promised to provide assistance of Rs 1400 crore. Both technical assistance and resource mobilisation is required for the reconstruction. Though the assistance could be loans, the agencies can provide loans at lower interest rates," Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said at a press meet on Thursday.
Red Crescent, chapter of Red Cross in UAE, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the state government on Thursday for providing an assistance of Rs 20 crore in the first phase.
"Discussion had been held with Red Crescent during the visit to the UAE as part of resource mobilisation for post-flood reconstruction and it had been promised that assistance would be provided to reconstruct houses. Rs 20 crore is the first phase of assistance," the CM said.
He reiterated the stand that what the government is looking for is not just to reconstruct but to reconstruct in a better way by imbibing modern technologies and the most relevant is that it should be eco-friendly.
The reconstruction is based on four key factors-full-fledged Disaster Management System, easing of the impact of climate and environmental changes, enhancing the capability of disaster management institutions and open data system. Focus should be on integrated water resources management, public sanitation, maintenance of rural and urban roads, fishing, agriculture and sustainable livelihood, it was stated.