New Delhi: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the union government signed a $126.42 million loan agreement on Wednesday to promote rural development through sustainable and climate-resilient tourism in the Tehri Lake region of Uttarakhand, the finance ministry said on Thursday.
“The ADB loan supports the government of Uttarakhand’s policy to position the state as a diversified, all-weather tourism destination, with Tehri Lake identified as a priority area for development,” joint secretary in the finance ministry’s department of economic affairs (DEA), Juhi Mukherjee, said.
The project is a model of sustainable tourism anchored around a hydropower lake by adopting a multisector approach to generate jobs, diversify income, and build climate resilience, officer-in-charge of the India Resident Mission for ADB Kai Wei Yeo said.
The project targets the Tehri Garhwal district, one of Uttarakhand’s most climate-vulnerable and economically disadvantaged regions, and aims to benefit over 87,000 residents and 2.7 million annual visitors through improved tourism planning, upgraded infrastructure, enhanced sanitation and waste management, and disaster preparedness, a statement issued by the ministry said.
Key interventions include institutional strengthening, climate-resilient infrastructure, nature-based solutions to mitigate landslide and flood risks, and inclusive tourism services led by women, youth, and the private sector, the statement said.
{{/usCountry}}Key interventions include institutional strengthening, climate-resilient infrastructure, nature-based solutions to mitigate landslide and flood risks, and inclusive tourism services led by women, youth, and the private sector, the statement said.
{{/usCountry}}Notable features include a livelihood matching grant programme to support tourism led by women, youth, and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises; universal access design, including for persons with disabilities; and a women-led disaster risk management initiative in pilot villages, it added.