USAID-Supported Workshop in Kolkata Discusses Crucial Water, Sanitation Issues

August 04, 2006

Kolkata – City and state government officials from West Bengal, Orissa, Jharkand and Tamil Nadu attended a U.S. Government sponsored workshop to share international water management practices in Kolkata today.

The “Workshop on Transforming Water and Wastewater Services in Urban India: Lessons from International Best Practices” was supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in conjunction with the National Institute for Urban Affairs, the Water and Sanitation Program and the Government of West Bengal’s Department for Urban Development and Municipal Affairs.

Addressing the workshop participants, USAID India’s Mission Director George Deikun said: “The delivery of water and sanitation services in cities is particularly important because of their direct impact on human health and productivity.” He added: “USAID has launched the ‘Blue Revolution’ to improve the delivery of water services and the management of water resources in Asia.”

Mr. Deikun stressed the need for better infrastructure management saying: “Part of good management is the ability to recover costs and maintain a solid resource base. This must be done through a well thought out and well governed system of user charges, taxes and targeted subsidies for the poor.”

Mr. Deikun commented on the economic potential of India’s cities saying that: “Indian cities contribute to almost 60% of India’s GDP. With better infrastructure and more city services economic growth could be even higher and more employment opportunities created for urban residents.”

The workshop was part of USAID India’s collaboration on water and sanitation with the State of West Bengal launched last year under the Financial Institutions Reform and Expansion Project. This and efforts elsewhere to improve water and sanitation and other urban infrastructure take place in the context of the country’s rapid urbanization. While roughly 285 million people currently reside in urban areas, it is estimated that by 2030 close to 50% of India’s population will live in cities.

At the heart of USAID’s work with the Government of West Bengal is an effort with the U.K. Government’s Department for International Development to put in place a state-level Municipal Development Fund that will work with cities and towns to generate financing for urban infrastructure improvements. The Fund is to assist urban local bodies meet the reform measures and matching requirements of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission’s incentive fund. Mr. Deikun commented that: “In other Indian states, similar state level agencies have helped to improve infrastructure, including much needed water and sanitation.”

Related Link: Read full text of the speech