Uzbekistan, Tashkent, July 19 / Trend D. Azizov /
The Uzbek government and the World Bank signed a loan agreement worth $ 82 million to improve drinking water supply in two districts of Bukhara region, the WB Tashkent office told Trend on Friday.
The WB Board of Directors approved the allocation of a loan in December 2012.
The project is aimed at improving the quality and efficiency of water supply in Alat and Karakul districts, where about 80 percent of the population lives in rural areas. According to the World Bank, as a result of the project implementation, about 220,000 people will receive better water services.
Uzbekistan has approved a program of developing the water and sewerage systems and the efficiency of water supply and sewerage organizations for 2013-2015. The total cost of the program is about $ 690 million. It is planned to construct and reconstruct 4,180 kilometers of water networks in 1,600 rural settlements within the program. It will be financed through the funds of the state budget and loans of the international financial institutions to the amount of $ 380 million.
Uzbekistan joined the World Bank in 1992. At present, the total amount of the WB current liabilities towards Uzbekistan is more than $1 billion.