A delegation representing the headquarters of the New Development Bank (NDB) based in Shanghai, China, alongside the bank's country representative, held a formal meeting with Manipur Deputy Chief Minister and PHED minister Losii Dikho at his official office in Imphal on Friday to evaluate the advancement of NDB-backed water supply and infrastructure initiatives across the state.
Focus on Water Security and Infrastructure
The core of the discussions revolved around the rollout of the Manipur Water Supply Project as well as other NDB-financed programs concerning water security, urban development, sanitation systems, and climate-resilient water resource management. The Deputy Chief Minister emphasized the absolute necessity of completing these vital projects within their scheduled timelines to guarantee a dependable and continuous supply of drinking water, particularly targeting rural populations and underserved communities.
Enhancing Inter-Agency Coordination
The participants also concentrated on strengthening operational synergy between the NDB, the Public Health Engineering Department, and various other stakeholder agencies. This collaboration aims to resolve implementation bottlenecks, accelerate ongoing engineering works, and ensure that the tangible benefits of these public works reach citizens promptly. Officials further deliberated on strategies to reinforce water infrastructure in chronically short regions, upgrade distribution pipelines, safeguard the long-term viability of water sources, and manage the ongoing maintenance of finalized facilities.
Progress Amid State Challenges
Losii Dikho expressed gratitude for the NDB's consistent backing toward upgrading water and urban systems in Manipur, reiterating the state administration's firm dedication to collaborating closely with the financial institution for optimal utilization of funds and timely project execution. According to statements shared by NDB officials, more than 80 percent of the total project undertakings have successfully reached completion despite prevailing law and order issues within the region. They also reiterated their dedication to ongoing partnership with the state administration, which includes future cooperation across health and education sector departments. In a separate engagement, the NDB delegation headed by Project Team Leader Bindu Madhab Panda, accompanied by Environmental and Social Expert Naval Chaudhary and team member Ritu Parna, paid a visit to Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh at the Secretariat located in Mantripukhri on Friday. This separate interaction centered entirely on broader development frameworks and deepening bilateral cooperation aimed at fostering the state's overall economic growth and structural progress.
