BHUBANESWAR:The State Government Has Roped in International Finance Corporation (IFC)

BHUBANESWAR: The state government has roped in International Finance Corporation (IFC), a private lending arm of the World Bank, to provide technical knowhow to the urban local bodies in Bhubaneswar on improving street lighting and in Berhampur for solid waste disposal system. "IFC is likely to sign MoUs with the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation and Berhampur Municipal Corporation on July 28," said an official of the housing and urban development department. "Taking strong notes of the poor street light facility and solid waste management system in the two cities, the government decided to join hand with IFC, an internationally acclaimed consultancy agency," he added. Bhubaneswar municipal commissioner Vishal Kumar Dev would work as "transaction advisor" for the civic body in providing energy efficient street lighting in the city. "IFC would not invest any money. It would arrange finance and select a skilled private party, which would convert the conventional street lights into light-emitting-diode (LED) lights. IFC would monitor the work," Dev said. Details of the responsibilities of IFC and BMC would be chalked out soon. Once the environment-friendly LED system is introduced, the civic body expects that the energy expenses from street-lighting will go down by 40%. At present, the BMC is annually spending around Rs 5 crore for street lighting. Besides, the civic body spends around Rs 1 crore towards maintenance, sources said. Everyday, the BMC receives flurry of complaints relating to poor street-lighting facility in different wards. The Berhampur Municipal Corporation authorities said IFC would prepare a detailed project report to streamline the collection and disposal of solid waste in the town that generates nearly 180 ton garbage daily. Fifteen out of the total 37 wards in Berhampur were outsourced to private organizations to carry out cleaning activities. "IFC would chalk out better strategy to keep the wards shipshape. It would take consultation fee from the government and arrange bidder and loan for the solid waste project," Bhima Manseth, municipal commissioner of Berhampur said. Source:lighting86.com