(a) whether a high level delegation of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) visited Assam in May, 2002 on a mission to identify the thrust areas for providing financial support for development;
(b) if so, the areas identified by the team in Assam, and in other North-Eastern States; and
(c) the steps taken by the Government to provide financial assistance to accelerate economic growth in Assam and the North-Eastern States?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR FINANCE (SHRI ANANT GANGARAM GEETE)
(a) Yes Sir.
(b) An Asian Development Bank mission which visited Assam in May 2002 has identified, in consultation with Governments of Assam and North Eastern States, fiscal and power sector reforms, road sectors, urban development, as thrust areas in which economic cooperation could be possible.
(c) As far as financial assistance from ADB is concerned, Government of India has urged the external funding agencies including ADB, to enlarge their focus to consider projects to accelerated economic growth in the North Eastern region.