ADB approves $500 mn for Tamil Nadu water supply, sewerage, drainage infra

The first tranche of the programme amounting to $169 mn will target the cities of Chennai, Coimbatore, Rajapalayam, Tiruchirappalli, Tirunelveli, and Vellore

The board of directors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved financing of up to $500 million for a multi-tranche financing facility (MFF) that will develop climate-resilient water supply, sewerage, and drainage infrastructure in at least 10 cities in Tamil Nadu. The country's first solar-powered sewage treatment plant on a pilot basis will also be part of the programme. 

With almost half of the state population living in cities, Tamil Nadu is the most urbanised of India's large states, said ADB Senior Urban Development Specialist Ron Slangen.

He added that managing this rapid urbanisation is essential for sustaining its economic growth