World Bank clears rural connectivity programme

The World Bank has accorded in principle clearance to support India8217;s rural road connectivity programme. The bank will also field a mission to the country to conduct some preliminary studies to draw up the sky map for detailed negotiations, said Union rural development minister M. Venkaiah Naidu.

Naidu said that the bank was also interested in supporting the proposal for capacity building of panchayati raj institutions.

It evinced interest to support the self-help group SHG movement in the country and to strengthen its marketing. The delegation had also been assured that district poverty initiative projects DPIP of Karnataka and Chhattisgarh would be discussed for funding in couple of months.