Putting forth his development vision, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan discussed with World Bank officials the prospects for funding a host of ambitious projects totalling $7.8 billion in the State.

This included providing piped water supply to all urban cities in 10 years, mega urban road and metro rail projects, the Narmada-Malwa Drinking Water project, higher education infrastructure and those related to women and child development.

Visiting Washington at the invitation of the World Bank, Chouhan held a series of meetings with top bank officials at its headquarters here on Monday.

The officials appreciated his presentations and approach to the development of a State such as Madhya Pradesh.

Specifically appreciative of the e-governance initiatives for sustainable transparency and guarantee of public service delivery, World Bank officials are believed to have told Chouhan that such development initiatives could be easily replicated.

The visiting Chief Minister was welcomed at the World Bank by Akihiko Nishio, Acting Vice-President, South Asia and Director, Operations, South Asia.

During the meetings, the Managing Director World Bank Mulyani Indrawati assured cooperation and support from the funding body.

She said proposals for financial support would be positively evaluated at different levels.

Chouhan told the bank officials that Madhya Pradesh had a high growth rate and its pace of development could be further accelerated with their financial support.

And in almost all the projects that he proposed or made presentations for, Chouhan said the Madhya Pradesh Government would be making a substantial contribution from its own resources, officials familiar with the discussions said.

Explaining why the Narmada-Malwa Drinking Water Project is important for the people living in Malwa region of the State, Chouhan said it would provide irrigation and drinking water in 3,000 villages and 70 towns in the region.

This project would not only generate 1,000 MW power but also ensure irrigation on 16.8 lakh acres of command area, he said adding this would entail a cost of $3.6 billion.

Chouhan in his meetings with World Bank officials discussed projects worth $1.08 billion for women and child development and another $480 million worth of projects for higher education infrastructure and introducing vocational courses.

According to State Government officials, Chouhan apprised the World Bank officials about its ambition plan for providing piped water supply to all urban cities in the next 10 years.

This project he said will cost $300 million, of which the State Government will arrange $200 million from its own resources.

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