World Bank provides US$100 million for poverty alleviation project in AP

Encouraged by the success of the poverty alleviation project of Andhra Pradesh, the World Bank today announced financing of another US$100 million to the state for improving efficiency and effectiveness of the programme.
 
Andhra Pradesh Rural Poverty Reduction Project, since its inception in 2003, has raised incomes of some 10 million rural women, the World Bank said today.
 
"This programme has had a remarkable impact on the lives of the rural poor in Andhra Pradesh," Roberto Zagha, World Bank country director for India, said.
 
"We have seen incomes increase for close to 90% poor rural households. This additional financing will help improve efficiency and effectiveness of the programme by adopting new technologies and innovative service delivery models for achieving full inclusion of the poor households," Zagha said.
 
The Bank said the project objectives will remain the same as the original project, that is, to enable the rural poor, particularly the poorest of the poor, improve their livelihoods and quality of life.
 
This is the second additional financing for this project and it will help scale up the impressive achievements to date, it said.