World Bank to provide $63 million loan to 'Tejaswini' project for adolescent girls

The World Bank will provide $63 million loan to India to empower 6.8 lakh adolescent girls in Jharkhand under the 'Tejaswini' project.

A Financing Agreement for International Development Association (IDA) credit of $63 million (equivalent) for the "Tejaswini: Socio-Economic Empowerment of Adolescent Girls and Young Women Project" was signed last week between the bank and the government.

"The project seeks to empower the adolescent girls with basic life skills and thereafter provide further opportunities to acquire market driven skill training or completion of secondary education, depending on the inclination of the beneficiary," a Finance Ministry release said.

The project will be delivered in 17 districts of Jharkhand. It has three main component -- expanding social, educational and economic opportunities; intensive service delivery; and state capacity-building and implementation support.

About 6.8 lakh adolescent girls and young women in the project districts are expected to benefit from the programme, the release said.

The closing date for the project is June 30, 2021.