Assam is holding assembly elections this year. Ahead of the elections, the World Bank has provided billions of rupees in aid to the Himanta Biswa Sarma government in Assam. The World Bank has approved a loan of US$680 million for three key development projects in Assam. These projects aim to strengthen climate resilience, improve governance and service delivery, and enhance education and workforce preparedness across the state.
A statement released by the World Bank said that its Board of Executive Directors approved these projects to help Assam cope with extreme weather events, improve public administration, and equip more than four million students with the skills necessary to succeed in the job market.
Funding for Projects in Assam
The largest component is the US$350 million Assam Disaster Resilient Hill Roads Development Project, which will focus on building climate-resilient road infrastructure, particularly in hilly and challenging terrains. This project is expected to reduce travel time and improve access for approximately 190,000 people, mostly from tribal and rural communities.
It will also strengthen connectivity through upgraded transport and logistics hubs equipped with truck and container bays, taxi and bus terminals, and electric vehicle charging points.
Support for School Education in Assam
Another US$250 million has been approved for the Assam School Education and Adolescent Wellbeing Project. This initiative aims to improve learning outcomes for over two million primary school students across the state.
It also aims to prepare another 200,000 adolescents aged 10 to 19 for future employment. This program will focus on life-skills training and curriculum improvements, including the introduction of multilingual instruction.
The third project, worth US$80 million, is the Assam Governance and Service Delivery Program, designed to strengthen public financial management and improve the delivery of administrative services to citizens and businesses. This will also help in developing a robust data ecosystem in the state to enhance transparency, efficiency, and evidence-based policymaking.
