What are the four projects that the World Bank is supporting in India and why has it allocated $800 million for these projects?

The World Bank approved 4 projects in India worth $800 million. The four projects include Chhattisgarh Inclusive Rural and Accelerated Agriculture Growth Project; Enhancing Classroom Teaching and Resources Project in Nagaland; and Second Dam Improvement and Rehabilitation Project. All these projects will be funded by the World Bank.

World Bank has also underlined that one of the purpose of these projects is to help poor and vulnerable families roll back the adverse impact of the Coronavirus pandemic. According to the World Bank, these projects will help millions of such families with better access to income opportunities, education, water supply and social protection.

This $800 million allocation will include $400 million as part of the second Accelerating India's COVID-19 Social Protection Response Programme project. This is intended to provide social assistance to poor households. This is the second such allocation with the first allocation of $50 million already approved in May 2020.

Out of the total allocation, a sum of $250 million will be allocated to improve the safety and performance of existing river dams across various states of India. In fact, it will strengthen dam safety by building dam safety guidelines; bring in global experience; and introduce newer technologies so as to make dams safer and more effective.

The Nagaland Classroom Teaching and Resources Project will get an allocation of $68 million and it will improve classroom instruction and also build technology systems to provide students and teachers better access to online learning. Finally, the $100 million CHIRAAG project will allow tribal households in Chhattisgarh to produce food round the year.