The World Bank on Thursday offered an IBRD (International Bank for Reconstruction and Development) loan of USD $125 million to help poor and vulnerable groups through social protection services in the state of West Bengal.
West Bengal has been running more than 400 programs to give social assistance, care services, and jobs through an umbrella platform called Jai Bangla.
The IBRD loan would support the state to build capability for Inclusive Social Protection Project which are focusing vulnerable groups mainly women, tribal and scheduled caste households, as well as households in the state’s disaster-prone coastal regions, said a senior officer of the Union Finance Minister.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to have seamless systems in place to deliver inclusive and equitable social protection in times of crisis. This project will focus on building the capabilities of the state government to expand coverage and access to social assistance and targeted services for poor and vulnerable groups within the State,” said Additional Secretary Department of Economic Affairs (Ministry of Finance).
The project would also support the creation of a tele-consultation network for social care services, complemented by a cadre of case management workers who can help households with advice on eldercare and links to health services and facilities.
The Union Finance Ministry said that the project would also create an institutional platform to improve coordination and effectiveness of government interventions to address the state’s low participation of women in the labour force.
The agreement for the IBRD loan was signed by Additional Secretary Rajat Kumar Mishra (Union Finance Ministry), Finance Secretary (West Bengal Finance Secretary) Sundip Kumar Sinha and the Country Director World Bank Junaid Ahmad, the Ministry said.