Releasing a white paper on irrigation projects in the state, Mr Naidu saidthe purpose of these white papers was to put them before people for theirsuggestions. "We will incorporate the valid suggestions to carry out ourmission," he said.

These suggestions will also be used as focus points at the time of preparingthe annual budget, Mr Naidu added.

The irrigation paper shows that in a bid to complete all the projects in thestate, both on-going and proposed, and facilitate utilisation of theremaining 900 tmc of river water flows into the state, an additionalinvestment of Rs 45,000 crore is required.

Of this, the state government has already mobilised about Rs 5,000 crorefrom various external institutions including World Bank, Japan Bank forInternational Corporation and Nabard.

Mr Naidu said that a majority of the proposed projects will be completed infour to five years' time. Once they are complete, additional 15 lakhhectares of land will be brought under irrigation, he added.

The priority programmes stated in the strategy paper include: Utilisation ofGodavari waters, commencement of Inchampally and Polavaram projects,Dummugudem project, Yellampally project and minor irrigation schemes.

...bags $200m loan from World Bank
New Delhi, Jan 22: The World Bank has agreed to make available a structuraladjustment loan component of around $200 million for Andhra Pradesh (AP).

This follows a proposal made by the power ministry to World Bank presidentJames Wolfenshon during his recent visit to the country. The ministryproposed that international funding agencies should explore the possibilityof extending structural adjustment type loans to the power sector in thereforming states.

In his meeting with power minister Suresh Prabhu last fortnight, WorldBank's country director Edwin Lim conveyed that the bank has agreed toextend support to the tune of $200 million for AP.

Officials said the bank has also agreed to help the poorer sections in thestate to get over the pains of reforms. This is because some states like APhad indicated to the nodal ministry that there was a need for fiscal aid tomeet the revenue gap during the reform period rather than investmentfinancing.

Officials said during his meeting with Mr Prabhu, Mr Lim also indicated thatthe bank would be willing to open a dialogue again with Maharashtra forfurther assistance.

Besides, the ministry has also sought the bank's assistance to push reformsin UP which has already received some assistance. Moreover, officials saidthe bank and the ministry have also decided to closely monitor the progressof reforms.

To coordinate and report the problems related with the bank-funded projects,besides other related issues, nodal officials from both sides have beenappointed who will submit weekly reports.

In addition to this, the ministry has also sought the bank support inpersuading the International Finance Corporation for greater investments inthe country's power sector.

Officials said to generate interest of the overseas investors, the bank hasalso agreed to convene a global meet on `India's power sector' where seniorofficials and ministers of finance and power, besides chief ministers ofreforming states like AP, Haryana, Rajasthan, UP and Orissa, wouldassemble.

A similar meet under the aegis of World Bank was convened in the past oninfrastructure in Paris, which was attended by senior officials andministers.

"Besides institutions like WB and IFC, we are also trying to get moresupport for the power sector especially for those states which haveinitiated power sector reforms, from the Department of InternationalDevelopment of Britain," they said.

Other issues which were discussed between Mr Prabhu and Mr Lim related withthe bank's support for PowerGrid's pending PSDP-II loan, for which talkswere completed way back in 1998. However, this loan has not become effectivetill date.

Anupama Airy