ICFRE was implementing World Bank funded project namely Forestry Research & Education and Extension Project (FREEP). The Project commenced in September, 94 and was to be terminate during December, 1999. Extension for one year upto December, 2000 had already been granted. A further extension of one-year upto December, 2001 was also granted on the basis of satisfactory performance of the first year benchmarks, which was to be assessed by the World Bank Supervisory Mission. The total outlay of the Project including its extended period was Rs. 189.709 Crore.

FREEP was mainly research capacity building project for ICFRE. The main objectives of the projects was to strengthen the capacity of national and state institutions to plan and undertake priority research programmes, to improve the system of forestry education in research and academic institutions, and to improve the extension of research funding. The project is designed as the first phase of a long-term process of improvement in India’s forestry research system. It shall also improve standards of forest education and research staff in pubic and private sector organisation involved in forest management. Further, it provides for training of specialists within the country and overseas. Emphasis has been laid on to the development of socio-economic experiment necessary for the implementation of the New Forest Policy. Besides, it also supports extension of research

India Eco-development Project was conceived as a Pilot Project with the World Bank assistance to conserve biodiversity through ecodevelopment. An Indicative Plan was drawn up for the eight sites, which was financed by UNDP. This Plan was discussed by Pre Appraisal Missions of the World Bank and on that basis the work of preparing the detailed India Eco-Development Project was taken up.

2. The eight sites were Buxa Tiger Reserve (West Bengal). Palamau Tiger Reserve (Jharkhand), Nagarhole National Park (Karnataka), Periyar Tiger Reserve (Kerala), Pench Tiger Reserve (Madhya Pradesh), Gir National Park (Gujarat), Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve (Rajasthan) and Similipal Tiger Reserve (Orissa). Similipal was, however, dropped later on due to certain activities relating to relocation which was considered by World Bank as violative of their directive. Now the project is in operation in the remaining seven sites.

3. World Bank declared the Project effective from 27.12.1996, however, the implementation of the project was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs in its meeting held on 14. 10.1997. The project is for a period of five years. The project took off only in the last quarter of 1997-98. The completion date is 31.12.2001 and closing date is 30-06-2003. Government of India has been approached for extension of completion date to 30-12-2003 and closing date to 30-06-04. The World Bank has already agreed to it.

4 . The objectives of the scheme are to conserve biodiversity by addressing both (a) the impact of local people on the protected areas and (b) the impact of the protected areas on the local people, and envisages to improve the capacity of protected area management to effectively conserve biodiversity and support collaboration between the State and the local communities in and around ecologically valuable areas.

5. The major components of the Project are as under:

(iv) Overall Project Management

6. The expenditure on the project is to be met out of Government funds and then claimed as reimbursement from the World Bank. The expenditure incurred by the Ministry of Environment & Forests upto 31-10-2001 is Rs. 67.00 lakhs.
7. The Mid Term Review of the project was conducted by the World Bank Mission in April-May,2000. Keeping in view the progress of the project which is due for completion on 31-12-2001, the world Bank Mission has reduced the targets of the project. The details of original and revised allocations to be financed are as under:-

Short term objectives:-

• Regeneration and eco-development of degraded forests and adjoining areas on a watershed basis.
• Augmentation of the availability of fuel-wood, fodder and grasses from the regenerated areas.
• Securing people’s participation in planning and regeneration efforts to ensure sustainability and equitable distribution of forest products from the regenerated lands, and to promote the partnership concept in the management and administration of forests and common property resources.
• Promote agro forestry and development of Common Property Resources.
• Promotion of fuel saving devices to encourage efficient use of fuel-wood and to reduce the drudgery of rural women involved in collection of wood, as also to improve the environment.
• Conservation and improvement of non-timber forest produce such as bamboo, cane and medicinal plants.
• Encourage production of non-timber products such as wax, honey, fruits and nuts from the regenerated areas.
• Raising coastal shelterbelts to mitigate the adverse impacts of cyclonic winds.
• Develop water resources through plantation and water harvesting programme.
• Development and extension of improved technologies such as clonal propagation and use of root trainers for raising seedlings, mycorrhizal inoculation, etc.
• Rehabilitation of special problem lands like saline/alkaline soils, ravines, desert areas, coastal areas, mined areas, Himalayas, Aravallis and Western Ghats.
• Employment generation for the disadvantaged sections of society, particularly women, scheduled castes/scheduled tribes and landless rural labourers, inhabiting the forests and adjoining areas.

Long-term objectives:

• Protection, Conservation of natural resources through active involvement of the people,
• Checking land degradation, deforestation and loss of biodiversity,
• Ecological restoration and environmental conservation and eco-development,
• Evolving village level people’s organization which can manage the natural resources in and around villages in a sustainable manner,
• Fulfilment of the broader objectives of productivity, equity, and sustainability for the general good of the people,
• Improve quality of life and self-sustenance aspect of people living in and around forest areas,
• Capability endowment and skill enhancement for improving employability of the rural people.

The Ministry of Environment and Forests had identified 10 polluted urban lakes for conservation and management in 1994. In July, 1997, the Planning Commission conveyed the approval of NLCP as a 100% Centrally Sponsored Scheme. Accordingly, a note covering the aforesaid 10 polluted urban lakes at an estimated cost of Rs. 637 crore was put up for approval of Government. Government considered the note and directed MEF to bring the matter for consideration after a fresh appraisal of the scheme in the light of a firm tie-up of external financial assistance financing NLCP. The Committee, however, approved in principal the proposal to take up the scheme for conservation of the Dal Lake.

The Ministry posed NLCP for financial assistance to some of the bilateral/multi-lateral funding agencies. However, none of these agencies evinced interest in the proposal. Waiver of the Government was sought to the condition of tying up of external financial assistance for financing conservation and management plans of Powai lake in Mumbai(Maharashtra)and Ooty and Kodaikanal lakes in Tamil Nadu under the NLCP. The approval of the government was accorded on 31^st May,2001. The conservation plans for these lakes were approved as 100% Centrally Sponsored Scheme for a total cost of Rs. 14.90 crore.

A provision of Rs. 25 crore made for NLCP in the IX Plan. An amount of Rs. 1.40 crore spent in preparation of the DPR for Dal Lake Conservation Plan. The DPR for Dal Lake for an estimated cost of Rs. 250 crore was sent to the state government of J&K for concurrence, which is still awaited. An amount of Rs. 4 crore for Powai, Rs. 1 crore for Ooty and Rs. 2 crore for Kodaikanal was released in 2001. Since Jan,2002, the funding pattern under NLCP was modified to 70:30 cost sharing between the Central and the state governments. Under this category, conservation plans for 4 lakes of Bangalore, namely, Jarganahalli, Nagavara, Vengainahakere & Kamakshipalya were approved in Feb, 2002 at a cost of Rs. 12.32 crore and an amount of Rs. 2.79 crore was released for these lakes during financial year 2001-02. The entire funds of Rs. 10 crore for the year was utilized.

The budget allocation for NLCP during X Plan period is Rs. 150 crore. However, in view of the commitment of Prime Minister for taking up conservation of lakes in Nainital District, the allocation for NLCP has been enhanced by Rs. 70 crore by the Planning Commission making it Rs. 220 crore. The allocation for current year (2002-03) is Rs. 30 crore. The Ministry has already released a large number of proposals for funding under NLCP which include among others the proposals for 5 lakes in Nainital District including Nainital Lake, Bellandur, Kotekere, Gadag and Lal Bagh in Karnataka, Banjara in Andhra Pradesh, 9 lakes of Thane(Maharashtra), Kurukshetra Teerath in Haryana etc.

The conservation plans for new lakes shall be taken up depending upon the pollution status and availability of funds.

NATIONAL RIVER CONSERVATION PLAN AND GANGA ACTION PLAN PHASE-II

The Ganga Action Plan model with necessary corrections on the basis of lessons learnt and experience gained has been applied to all the major rivers of the country under the scheme of National River Conservation Plan (NRCP).

The National River Conservation Plan was launched in 1995 to cover 23 major rivers in 11 States of the country. Under this action plan pollution abatement works are being taken up in 58 towns. Of these 4 are in A.P., 3 in Jharkhand, 1 in Gujarat, 8 in Karnataka, 5 in Maharashtra, 11 in M.P., 5 in Orissa, 6 in Punjab, 2 in Rajasthan, 13 in Tamil Nadu and 1 in Goa.

Out of 247 schemes of pollution abatement sanctioned under this Action Plan so far, 77 schemes have been completed. About 2455 million liters per day (mld) of sewage is targeted to be intercepted, diverted and treated. Out of the approved cost of Rs 1892.95 crore , the expenditure incurred by States totals to Rs.331.27 crore.

After the launching of the NRCP in 1995, it was decided to merge the Ganga Action Plan Phase-II with NRCP. A notification to this effect was issued on 5.12.1996. With this, the present approved cost of NRCP as a whole stands at Rs. 3391.80 crore covering pollution abatement works in 154 towns along polluted stretches of 28 rivers spread over 17 States.

GANGA ACTION PLAN PHASE-II

Since Phase-I of the Ganga Action Plan covered the pollution loads only partially, Phase-II of the Ganga Action Plan was launched and approved in stages between 1993 and 1996 for implementation. The total project cost of GAP Phase-II is Rs. 1498.86 crore which includes the following components:

YAMUNA ACTION PLAN

Originally, Yamuna Action Plan covered pollution abatement works in 15 towns, break-up being Haryana (6), U.P. (8) and Delhi. This component is being funded by Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) through a soft loan of Yen 17.77 billion. In April 1996, on the directions of the Supreme Court, 6 additional towns of Haryana were included under YAP. Works in these towns are implemented through the Plan funds of the Ministry. Thus, YAP presently covers pollution abatement works in 21 towns. The approved cost of YAP is Rs. 509.45 crore of which an expenditure of Rs. 462.69 crore has been incurred so far. Works under JBIC assisted package in original 15 towns are in the final stage of completion. The proposed treatment capacity of 724 million litres per day (mld) has been created. Works in the additional 6 towns in Haryana, which are not covered under the JBIC assistance, are in different stages of completion. Of the 141 schemes of pollution abatement sanctioned, 117 schemes have been completed.

Because of appreciation of Yen against Rupee, a saving of Yen 8 billion was available in the JBIC assistance package. This was equivalent to about Rs. 300 crore. JBIC agreed to make available these savings for additional works in the same 15 towns and also agreed to extend the loan agreement upto February, 2003. Keeping in view the rigid time frame of completion, additional pollution abatement works of short gestation period amounting to Rs. 222.60 crore were approved in May, 2001 for inclusion under this proposal. The break-up of the estimated cost is Rs. 22.28 crore for Haryana, Rs. 166.62 crore for Delhi and Rs. 29.65 crore for U.P. In addition, an amount of Rs. 4.05 crore has been provided for fees payable to Indo-Japanese consultants consortium. While in the case of Delhi, the works primarily relate to low cost sanitation/community toilets in slums, regularised and resettlement colonies in rural and urban villages, in the case of Haryana and U.P., the projects include items such as additional pumps, diesel generator sets, additional sludge drying beds etc. The expenditure incurred so far by State Governments under this package is Rs. 179.93 crore. 48 schemes of pollution abatement have been sanctioned under this package, out of which 31 have been completed. Together with this additional package the total cost of Yamuna Action Plan stands at Rs. 732.05 crore.

In order to address further problem of water pollution of river Yamuna, additional pollution abatement works in the States of Delhi, Haryana and U.P. have been posed for funding by JBIC under Yamuna Action Plan Phase-II The total cost of project is estimated at Rs. 637 crore (15.607 billion in Japanese yen) for which loan agreement with Govt. of Japan is expected to be signed in January, 2003 and works scheduled to start in April, 2003 with a completion period of 5 years.

GOMTI ACTION PLAN

The Govt. approval for Gomti Action Plan was obtained in April 1993 for Rs.61.01 crore for taking up river pollution abatement works in the towns of Lucknow, Sultanpur and Jaunpur and the share of Lucknow was Rs.47.75 crore. The pattern of funding was subsequently changed from 50:50 cost sharing between Centre and State to 100% Central funding, with cost of land to be borne by the State Government and centages were reduced from 14% to 8%.

While works in Sultanpur and Jaunpur have been taken up from budgetary resources of MoEF and are under implementation, pollution abatement works in Lucknow were initially taken up with grant assistance provided by Department for International Development (DFID), UK. The 1^st phase of the DFID assisted project at Lucknow started in September 1995 under which some emergency works and Master Plan preparation were undertaken and schemes worth Rs.6.81 crore were sanctioned and which were completed by March 1999. In the meantime, the DFID, UK informed that they are not willing to fund the 2^nd phase of the project (in which the main works of interception, diversion and treatment of sewage out falling into the river Gomti were to be taken up) because of the change in the development aid policy of their Government with focus shifting to projects pertaining to poverty alleviation etc.

As aid from DFID, UK is not forthcoming a decision has been taken to take up the Lucknow project also from budgetary resources of MoEF. Since an amount of Rs.6.81 crore has already been spent a balance amount of Rs.40.94 crore (Rs.47.75 crore minus Rs.6.81 crore) is available at present for the Lucknow project.

On the directions of the Monitoring Committee of NRCA headed by Member (Environment), Planning Commission, a Group under the Chairmanship of the Project Director, NRCD & Additional Secretary, Ministry of Environment & Forests reviewed the various technology options for sewage treatment at Lucknow to meet the additional fecal coliform standards so that pollution abatement works in the town could be started urgently. The Group recommended setting up of three decentralised STPs (sewage treatment plants), at Daulatganj and two at Kakraha village downstream of the barrage.

The Group further recommended that UP Govt. submit DPRs (Detailed Project Reports) for the priority works at Lucknow for utilization of the available allocation of Rs.40.94 crore. The implementation of the above priority works will improve the water quality of the river in the core area of the city upstream of the barrage. As a follow up to the above, UP Govt/UP Jal Nigam have listed 10 priority schemes for being taken up in the first phase of the project. The NRCD has so far approved seven projects amounting to Rs.26.94 crore and Rs.23.78 crore have also been released. The projects approved in the first phase include setting up of 42 mld capacity STP at Daulatganj & I&D works of five major drains.

The UP Govt. has meantime on 19.12.2000 sent a revised Pre-Feasibility Report (PFR) for Gomti Action Plan at Lucknow amounting to Rs.317.60 crore. The earlier amount of Rs.40.94 crore for Lucknow stands included in this amount. The amount has increased from Rs.47.75 crore to Rs.317.60 crore because the U.P. Govt. have corrected the deficiencies of the earlier estimate by updating the quantity of wastewater as well as rates of the works. The Government is being approached again for approval of the revised PFR as the cost has escalated the existing government provision by nearby Rs. 280 crore. As per the decision taken in the 3^rd Standing Committee of NRCA chaired by MEF, the balance Plan in Lucknow will be funded on 70:30 cost sharing pattern between the Centre and the State Government.

DAMODAR ACTION PLAN

Under this Action Plan pollution abatement works are being taken up in 12 towns. Of these 8 are in Jharkhand and 4 in West Bengal. So far 11 schemes have been sanctioned. About 68 mld of sewage is targeted to be intercepted, diverted and treated.

Out of the approved cost of Rs.23.58 crore an expenditure of Rs. 0.64 crore has been incurred under this Action Plan. The work on the scheme has not yet begun in right earnest due to low priority given by the State Govt. to this Plan.

Under this action plan pollution abatement works are being taken up in 59 towns. Of these 22 are in U.P., 14 in Bihar and 23 in W.B. Out of 142 schemes of pollution abatement sanctioned so far, 13 schemes have completed so far under this Action Plan. About 780 mld of sewage is targeted to be intercepted, diverted and treated.

This plan includes substantial outlay for scheme implementation in the towns of Allahabad, Kanpur and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. The schemes in Kanpur are being taken up under the Indo-Dutch cooperation project and are being progressively sanctioned. In Allahabad, 5 schemes including emergency works implemented during the recently held Kumbh Mela amounting to Rs. 12.04 crore have been sanctioned. Against a Government provision of Rs. 32.72 crore for Allahabad, the revised PFR has recently been received for Rs. 234.80 crore. Against a Government provision of Rs. 45.05 crore for Varanasi, the State Government had submitted a revised PFR for Rs. 236.28 crore. The State Government is required to make the necessary modifications in the revised PFR inline with the observations of the Expert Committee Report. 4 DPRs for priority works to be taken up for the existing Government provision amounting to Rs. 41.62 crore have been sanctioned after a High Powered Technical Group set up by the Government to re-examine the two alternative proposals (one of UP Government/UPJN and the other of Sankat Mochan Foundation, an NGO of Varanasi) decided that the UP Government/UPJN proposal was a more feasible option for GAP-II at Varanasi. However, implementation of works could not be taken up by UP Jal Nigam as the Supreme Court on 7-9-2001 stayed the implementation of works without leave of the court. This stay was vacated in April 2002. However, on the basis of a review petition filed by some municipal councillors of Varanasi Nagar Nigam, the Supreme Court has again recently stayed the implementation of the project by UP Jal Nigam. The Government will have to be approached again for approval of revised PFRs for Allahabad & Varanasi where the costs have substantially exceeded the corresponding existing Government provisions. It has also been decided in the Standing Committee chaired by MEF that the balance Plan for these towns will be funded on 70:30 cost sharing pattern between the Central and the State Governments. The projects of GAP Phase-II in Allahabad and Varanasi (balance amount) have also been posed to JBIC for assistance.

Schemes in Bihar are only being sanctioned after due scrutiny and examination owing to the poor performance of the State Govt. in the operation and maintenance of assets created under Ganga Action Plan Phase-I and the diversion of funds released for GAP –I works for other purposes by the State Govt. The schemes in West Bengal have been duly prioritized and are proceeding at a steady pace. Out of the approved cost of Rs. 682.11 crores, the expenditure incurred totals to Rs.73.50 crore.

The EFC Memo giving details of the scheme on Taj Protection Mission was approved in EFC

meeting held on 26.10.98 and on 23.2.1999. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the

following 10 schemes of Rs.222.21 crores:-

1. Improvement in Electric Supply at Agra Part.II
2. Improvement in Electric Supply in and around the rural areas of Agra and Fatehpur Sikri.
3. Water Supply (Agra)
4. Water Supply (Mathura-Vrindavan)
5. Gokul Barrage
6. Solid Waste Management in Agra City
7. Storm Water Drainage System (Agra)
8. Construction of one part of Agra Bye-pass
9. Widening of Agra Bye-pass
10. Improvement of Master Plan of roads of Agra city.

The Project has ended on 30.11.2002.

The project on Environmental Management Capacity Building Technical Assistance Project became effectively operational in 1998. During the year 1998-99 the concerned Executive Agencies responsible for implementation of the respective components remained busy with preparation and finalization for the Project Implementation Plan (PIPs), which were subject to frequent revision at the behest of World Bank before getting finally approved. The project was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs in its meeting held on 23.08.97. At the time of finalization of the outlay its approved cost was US $ 61.48 million comprising of IDA credit of US $ 50 million and Government of India contribution of US $ 11.48 million (Rs. 221.38 crores). The project started in September 1997 and its target date of completion is 30^th June 2003. The progress of the Project has been reviewed periodically through periodical Supervision Missions of the World Bank. It was agreed during these Missions that certain components such as (i) Regional Offices of MoEF; (ii) Paryavaran Vahini; (iii) ENVIS Centres; and (iv) Environmental Indicators should be dropped since no progress had been made in their implementation. The Mid- Term Review concluded in April 2000 and it was felt that considering the last depreciation in the value of the rupees against the dollar the project outlay should be reduced to 45.53 million dollars. The Mission also agreed to include three new components namely Environmental Impact Assessment, Coastal Zone Management Plans and Training of Media in Environmental Journalism. The IDA Mission again reviewed progress of the project and found that in the face of poor expenditure there was still scope for reduction in the outlay and, therefore, the project outlay, came down to 29.62 million dollars. Another Mission of the World Bank visited the Ministry on 7^th and 8^th December 2000 and discussed the various components about the possible simplification of project procedures and the status of the progress with regard to the various components. The final amendment to the Development Credit Agreement has been signed by all parties in May-June, 2001. Soon thereafter another IDA Mission visited India in June, 2001 when ways and means were suggested for accelerated pace of progress to reduce the possibility of physical and financial slippages which have been finally included in the restructured project. The last visit of IDA Mission was between 7^th to 11^th October, 2002, when it was found that the reduced outlay of $ 29.62 million utilized by the end of the project on 30-6-2003 and hence it was decided that the project period could be extended upto 30-6-2004 so that some of the activities yet continuing could be completed to fully realize the objectives of the project.