The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has provided a loan assistance of Rs 5.78 billion (equivalent to SDR 38.921 million) and grant assistance of Rs 127.4 million to the government of Nepal for the implementation of Third Small Town Water Supply and Sanitation Project.

According to the Ministry of Finance, the main objective of this project is to fund the physical investment needed in water supply and sanitation infrastructure in selected small towns as well as non-physical investment in strengthening of sector policy, regulatory and institutional capacity, service delivery and project management.

The main expected outputs of the project include upgrading and construction of water supply system for 26 small towns including Charaali of Ilam, Mahendranagar of Sunsari, Bhojpur, Diktel, Sakhuwa Mahendranagar of Dhanusha, Katari, Mirchaiya, Bidur, Dumre, Lalbandi Charikot, Birendranagar of Chitwan, Tikapur, Salyan and Musikot and construction of approximately 20,300 additional private toilets with septic tanks.

The Ministry of Urban Development and Town Development Fund are the implementing agencies. The project is expected to be completed by 31 January 2021.

Secretary at the Ministry of Finance, Suman Prasad Sharma , and Country Director of ADB, Nepal, Kenichi Yokoyama, signed the agreement to this effect at a program organized at the Ministry, according to RSS.

On the occasion, Secretary Sharma, on the behalf of the government, expressed sincere appreciation to the ADB for this assistance and for the continued support in the socio-economic as well as infrastructure development of Nepal.