New Delhi: The Board of Directors of the World Bank has approved a $150 million loan to support the Resilient Kerala program to strengthen the state’s preparedness against natural disasters, climate change impacts and disease outbreaks.
This funding complements an earlier World Bank investment of $125 million and the overall support of the two projects is expected to protect approximately 5 million people from the effects of flooding. ,ALSO READ: From grocery store cleaner to America’s 62nd richest person – read all about the WhatsApp CEO,
Auguste Tano Coume, World Bank Country Director for India, said that through this additional funding, the World Bank will continue to support Kerala in increasing its resilience to climate change. ,Also Read: 10 Benefits of Coconut Water,
“The project will focus on addressing vulnerable areas of the state as well as coastal erosion – affecting millions of people,” Koume said.
The additional funding will expand and deepen the state’s resilience to mitigate the effects of coastal erosion by creating a shoreline management plan.
The plan will assess current and future shoreline changes in the state and create policies to address risks to environmental resources, human settlements and infrastructure along the coast.
The project will help the state develop a climate budget and a roadmap to help fill gaps in the state’s open data and digital systems to reduce people’s vulnerability to natural hazards. Currently, satellite maps, hazard maps, and regional data are not integrated into a single platform, leading to gaps in planning and execution of public sector investments.
Following the devastating floods and landslides of 2018, the World Bank invested in building Kerala’s capacities to respond to the shocks to the state’s economy and prevent loss of life, property and livelihoods.