The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has proposed the government to spend an additional VND364 billion ($17.33 million) on the National Target Program for Rural Water Supply and Sanitation by 2016. Earlier in Feb, the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) and the World Bank (WB) signed a $200 million credit agreement for the program, which will provide safe water for around 1.7 million people and improve sanitary conditions for 650,000 people in eight Red River Delta provinces. The program aims to boost the institutional system and planning, supervision and evaluation in the eight localities of Quang Ninh, Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc, Hanoi, Bac Ninh, Hung Yen, Ha Nam and Thanh Hoa. The loan is very crucial for these provinces where access to clean water is limited and the quality of water remains low, said SBV Governor Nguyen Van Binh. On the same day, the Australian government also pledged AUD8 million ($8.22 million) for the program, under an AusAID-WB Strategic Partnership which supports Vietnam’s economic competitiveness, environment sustainability and access to economic and social opportunity. The program is part of activities in the WB’s Vietnam Country Partnership Strategy for the 2012-2016 period. (Ha Noi Moi – New Hanoi May 6 p3)
