India seeks Japan's cooperation in developing Varanasi

Vice Mayor of Japan's Kyoto city, Kenichi Ogasawara on Wednesday met Urban Development Secretary Shankar Aggarwal in connection with the development plans of Varanasi.

Ogasawara was in the capital to attend the eighth meeting of India-Japan Joint Working Group on Urban Development and he will be visiting Varanasi on Thursday.

Aggarwal suggested to the Kyoto Vice Mayor to consider extending necessary cooperation for Varanasi's development and cleanliness through effective management of solid and liquid waste, a senior Urban Development Ministry official said.

He also advocated for introduction of effective solar power generation technology for the benefit of small traders, particularly, the weavers in Varanasi.

On the sewerage system, the Urban Development Secretary suggested for cost effective technologies for treatment of sewerage by run-off the drain treatment instead of Sewerage Treatment Plants, which is "cumbersome and costly".

Aggarwal said the possibility of introducing Light Rail Transport for effective traffic management in the city should be explored with help from Japanese lender JICA. He also suggested to Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) officials, who were present at the meeting, to consider if it could support infrastructure development in Varanasi at further liberalized low interest loans.

Ogasawara and JICA officials said the proposals made by Aggarwal will be examined and would revert to the Ministry. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent Japan visit, a Sister City Partnership Agreement between Kyoto and Varanasi was signed between the two countries.