The World Bank has approved a loan of $150 million to support Kerala’s Resilient Kerala Program, aimed at strengthening the state’s preparedness against natural disasters, climate change impacts, and disease outbreaks. This loan complements the World Bank’s previous investment of $125 million, with the combined projects set to protect nearly 5 million people from the devastating effects of floods.
Auguste Tano Kouame, the World Bank’s Country Director for India, emphasized the importance of this additional financing in enhancing Kerala’s resilience to climate change. He stated, “The project will focus on addressing coastal erosion along vulnerable areas of the state – impacting millions of lives.”
The newly secured funding will play a crucial role in expanding and deepening Kerala’s resilience by implementing a comprehensive shoreline management plan. This plan will assess present and future changes to the state’s shoreline, develop policies to address risks to the environment, human settlements, and coastal infrastructure.
Moreover, the project aims to facilitate the development of a climate budget and roadmap for Kerala, helping bridge the gaps in the state’s open data and digital systems to reduce vulnerability to natural hazards. Currently, the lack of integration between satellite maps, risk maps, and sectoral data poses challenges in the planning and execution of public sector investments.
Following the devastating floods and landslides in 2018, the World Bank has been actively involved in strengthening Kerala’s capacity to respond to economic shocks and safeguard lives, assets, and livelihoods. The loan signifies the ongoing commitment to support Kerala in its journey towards resilience and sustainable development.
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