The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will finance US$ 63m for the development of four towns in Phuentshogling, Samdrup Jongkhar, Sarpang and Trashigang districts under the “Phuentshogling Township Development and Secondary Towns Development Projects.”
The agreement was signed between the Royal government of Bhutan and the Asian Development Bank in the capital today.
Under the Phuentshogling Township Development Project, it will focus on developing 66 hectares of riparian to protect Phuentshogling town from flood, erosion and construct urban infrastructure to allow urban expansion.
US$ 53m is allocated for the project. It is a seven-year long project, which will begin from this month.
“Secondary urban development project will support the government’s strategy for the urbanisation. It will support city’s infrastructure, manufacturing sectors, trade and logistics. We will also support Phuentshogling city to deal with floods, develop infrastructure and address lack of land issues,” said Vice President of ADB, Wencai Zhang, adding: “I hope with the help of this new project, the Phuentshogling will become economic hub in future.”
Another project worth US$ 10m will help in improving urban infrastructure and services of secondary towns of Samdrup Jongkhar, Sarpang and Trashigang districts.
It will also help in improving sewerage in Samdrup Jongkhar, develop drainage and roads in Sarpang. The project is expected to bring balanced and sustainable development of human settlements in these three districts. The project was rolled out in June this year and will wrap up by 2023.
The ADB has invested more than US$ 700m in sovereign and non-sovereign operations and provided more US$ 50m for technical assistance to Bhutan.
